Abstract. Mental imagery plays an important role in the onset and maintenance of psychological disorders as well as their treatment. Therefore, a reliable and valid measure of mental imagery is essential. Andrade and colleagues (2014) developed the Plymouth Sensory Imagery Questionnaire (PsiQ), which contains 35 items (long version) or 21 items (shortened version) measuring the vividness of mental imagery in seven different modalities: vision, sound, smell, taste, touch, bodily sensation, and emotion. Andrade et al. reported a seven-factor structure corresponding to the different modalities for both versions rather than a one-factor model measuring general mental imagery. The current paper reports on the translation and validation of the Dutch version of the PsiQ (PsiQ-NL-35 and PsiQ-NL-21). In two independent samples (student and mixed), the PsiQ-NL-35 showed excellent internal consistency, adequate model fit for the seven-factor model, and a poor fit for the one-factor model. Test-retest reliability (Study 1, student sample) was good. Construct validity (Study 2, mixed sample) was adequate. The PsiQ-NL-21 also showed excellent internal consistency, good test-retest reliability, adequate seven-factor model fit, and adequate construct validity. Measurement invariance between the Dutch and the English version was found, implying that both versions measure the same construct.

Anxiety disorders are effectively treated with exposure therapy, but relapse remains high. Fear may reinstate after reoccurrence of the negative event because the expectancy of the aversive outcome (unconditioned stimulus [US]) is adjusted but not its evaluation. Imagery rescripting (ImRs) is an intervention that is proposed to work through revaluation of the US. The aim of our preregistered study was to test the effects of ImRs and extinction on US expectancy and US revaluation. Day 1 ( n = 106) consisted of acquisition with an aversive film clip as US. The manipulation (ImRs + extinction, extinction-only, or ImRs-only) took place on Day 2. Reinstatement of fear was tested on Day 3. Results showed expectancy learning in both extinction conditions but not in the ImRs-only condition and no enhanced revaluation learning in ImRs. The combination of ImRs and extinction slowed down extinction but did not protect against reinstatement, which pleads in favor of stand-alone interventions in clinical practice.

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