Imagery rescripting as a clinical intervention for aversive memories: A meta-analysis

- Imagery rescripting (ImRs) is a short-term treatment for aversive memories.
- ImRs is effective in reducing psychological symptoms.
- Therapeutic gains are maintained at follow-up.
- More research is needed using rigorous methodology.

Background and objectivesLiterature suggests that imagery rescripting (ImRs) is an effective psychological intervention.MethodsWe conducted a meta-analysis of ImRs for psychological complaints that are associated with aversive memories. Relevant publications were collected from the databases Medline, PsychInfo, and Web of Science.ResultsThe search identified 19 trials (including seven randomized controlled trials) with 363 adult patients with posttraumatic stress disorder (eight trials), social anxiety disorder (six trials), body dysmorphic disorder (two trials), major depression (one trial), bulimia nervosa (one trial), or obsessive compulsive disorder (one trial). ImRs was administered over a mean of 4.5 sessions (range, 1-16). Effect size estimates suggest that ImRs is largely effective in reducing symptoms from pretreatment to posttreatment and follow-up in the overall sample (Hedges' g = 1.22 and 1.79, respectively). The comparison of ImRs to passive treatment conditions resulted in a large effect size (g = 0.90) at posttreatment. Finally, the effects of ImRs on comorbid depression, aversive imagery, and encapsulated beliefs were also large.LimitationsMost of the analyses involved pre-post comparisons and the findings are limited by the small number of randomized controlled trials.ConclusionsOur findings indicate that ImRs is a promising intervention for psychological complaints related to aversive memories, with large effects obtained in a small number of session.