Danger Expectancies, Self-efficacy and Subjective Anxiety as Mediators of Avoidance Behaviour in Spider Phobia

Forty-five participants diagnosed with specific phobia (spiders) gave ratings of subjective anxiety, self-efficacy and the probability of being bitten or injured by a spider while completing a behavioural avoidance test involving exposure to a live spider. Testing was performed before and after treatment and at a 3-month follow-up. Results indicated that subjective anxiety was a more useful predictor of avoidance behaviour than self-efficacy. Danger expectancies in relation to being bitten and/or injured by a spider were not found to be a significant cognitive symptom in the majority of spider phobia sufferers during the behavioural avoidance test with a live spider. Methodological factors that may account for the low reporting of danger-related cognitions in the present study are discussed.