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. 2023 May 2:1-8.
doi: 10.1007/s10608-023-10377-6. Online ahead of print.

Recalling Self-efficacious Memories Reduces COVID-19-Related Fear

Samantha L Bakke  1 , E Samuel Winer  1 , Adam D Brown  1
Affiliations

Recalling Self-efficacious Memories Reduces COVID-19-Related Fear

Samantha L Bakke et al. Cognit Ther Res. .

Abstract

Purpose: Manipulating perceived self-efficacy can mitigate the negative impact of trauma and increase ability to adapt to stress. It is possible that a similar domain-based manipulation aimed at anxiety around the pandemic might mitigate the negative mental health impact of COVID-19. The current experimental study assessed whether a self-efficacy induction would be effective in reducing COVID-19 distress.

Methods: Participants were randomized to a self-efficacy autobiographical memory induction or control condition. We hypothesized that individuals in the self-efficacy group would exhibit lower levels of fear on an implicit measure of emotional states following exposure to COVID-19-related stimuli.

Results: A significant increase in general self-efficacy and self-confidence was found in the self-efficacy group from pre- to post-induction. Individuals in the self-efficacy group had significantly lower levels of fear counts on the implicit measure of emotional states than the control group following exposure to COVID-19-related stimuli.

Conclusions: Results suggest that (1) self-efficacy can be increased among individuals with high levels of COVID-19-related distress using an autobiographical memory induction and (2) doing so reduces fear processing among these individuals when exposed to COVID-19 stimuli. This is relevant for future intervention as it reveals a possible mechanism for reducing and recovering from COVID-19-related distress.

Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-023-10377-6.

Keywords: Autobiographical memory; COVID-19; Distress; Fear; Self-efficacy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of InterestSamantha L. Bakke, E. Samuel Winer, and Adam D. Brown declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Data collection procedures
Fig. 2
Fig. 2
Estimated marginal means for GSE pre- to post-memory induction
Fig. 3
Fig. 3
Estimated marginal means for self-confidence VAS pre- to post-memory induction
Fig. 4
Fig. 4
Estimated Marginal Means for Fear on IMDES After Exposure to COVID or Neutral Stimuli
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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