The spit-face scenario: Inducing Contamination-Based Disgust and Anxiety and Investigating the Effects of Imagery Rescripting in an Online Experiment

Abstract

Background: In the treatment of obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), imagery rescripting (ImRs) is considered promising. However, there is a paucity of randomized-controlled trials (RCTs) with active control groups in this context. Methods: We developed an audio imagery, which we refer to as the spit-face scenario, to induce disgust without any sexual content. In an online RCT, we then investigated disgust (SDQ-13, visual analogue scale (VAS)) and anxiety (STAI-SKD, VAS) in participants reporting at least mild OC symptoms after one of three manipulations, ImRs (n = 34), imagery focus (n = 25) or distraction (n = 34). Results: The spit-face scenario significantly induced disgust, e.g., comparable with watching a disgusting film, and over 70% of the participants were able to vividly visualize and follow the scenario effectively. Although ImRs and distraction reduced disgust, it did not decline following imagery focus (e.g., SDQ-13, F-HF = 86.600 (1.756), p