Summary: Childhood memories shaped by harsh criticism or neglect often show up in adulthood as a persistent fear of failure. A recent randomized clinical trial demonstrates that imagery-based therapy can effectively alter how these memories affect emotions, stress responses, and beliefs about failure.
Researchers used a technique called Imagery Rescripting (ImRs) in which participants revisited painful childhood scenes and imagined a supportive figure—such as an adult self or a therapist—entering the memory to defend and console the younger person. The intervention substantially reduced negative emotions, lowered physiological stress responses, and weakened fear of failure, with gains maintained at three- and six-month follow-ups.
Key Facts
- Imagery Rescripting (ImRs): An active intervention that changes the memory narrative by inserting a supportive presence that challenges the original critic.
- Durable Emotional Relief: Participants reported lasting reductions in sadness, guilt, and fear of failure, upheld at three- and six-month checks.
- Reduced Physiological Reactivity: After treatment, recalling critical memories no longer triggered the same intense bodily stress responses.
- Prediction Error Matters: The technique was most effective when it produced a moment of surprise—a mismatch between expected negative outcomes and the new, supportive memory—prompting stronger change.
- Memory Disruption Variant: A version of the method that introduced a 10-minute delay (ImRs-DSR) aimed to disrupt memory reconsolidation, but it did not consistently outperform standard rescripting.
Source: SWPS
Adverse childhood experiences such as criticism, neglect, or harsh caregiver responses can leave long-lasting marks on psychological well-being, influencing how people react to failure and stress in adulthood.
How caregivers respond to a child’s mistakes plays a key role in shaping emotional and cognitive patterns later in life. Repeated criticism can instill the belief that mistakes equal worthlessness, fostering avoidance and a chronic fear of failure.
A research team from the Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience at SWPS University (Poznań) and the Laboratory of Brain Imaging at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology (Warsaw) tested whether guided imagery techniques can sustainably reduce the negative impact of such memories on daily functioning.
Can working directly with memories produce lasting change?
The trial enrolled 180 young adults (ages 18–35) with elevated fear of failure and randomized them to one of three imagery-based conditions. Over two weeks, participants completed four therapy sessions focused on distressing childhood memories involving criticism.
One arm used Imagery Exposure (IE), an active control in which participants repeatedly recalled anxiety-provoking scenes. The second arm used standard Imagery Rescripting (ImRs), where participants reimagined the scene with a supportive “defender” stepping in to challenge the critic and protect the child. The third arm used Imagery Rescripting with a 10-minute delay intended to disrupt memory reconsolidation (ImRs-DSR).
Researchers collected self-report measures, conducted interviews, and recorded physiological markers of stress. Follow-up assessments occurred at three and six months.
Imagery rescripting produces reliable benefits
All three interventions produced significant and lasting reductions in fear of failure and in negative emotions such as sadness and guilt. Physiological reactivity to memories of criticism—measured during memory recall—also declined, indicating that participants no longer experienced the same intensity of bodily stress when revisiting those scenes.
These improvements remained stable at the three- and six-month follow-ups, showing that the therapeutic effects were not short-lived.
“The study shows that it is possible to reduce the intensity of negative emotions and arousal associated with memories of childhood criticism. Properly selected techniques can influence how these memories are experienced, making them less burdensome,” says Julia Bączek, psychologist at the Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University.
The imagery rescripting approach was especially effective when participants experienced a prediction error—a surprising shift in the memory that contradicted their expectations. That unexpected corrective experience appears to promote lasting emotional change.
“A crucial part of imagery-based therapy is creating a discrepancy between what the patient expects and what actually happens in the updated memory. This surprise paves the way for lasting therapeutic change,” adds Stanisław Karkosz, cognitive scientist at the Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience, Institute of Psychology, SWPS University.
Past experiences do not have to define our present
The findings indicate that by intentionally rewriting distressing memories with safer, more supportive outcomes, people can change how they respond emotionally and physiologically to challenges today. This suggests that difficult autobiographical memories are not fixed in their impact—targeted imagery techniques can alter their emotional meaning and reduce their hold on behavior.
Key Questions Answered:
A: No. Imagery Rescripting does not erase the factual occurrence of an event. Instead, it changes the emotional meaning the memory holds and reduces the automatic fight-or-flight reaction it triggers, updating how your brain responds to that memory.
A: Children often lack the resources to protect themselves from harsh criticism. Imagining a defender—whether that is your adult self or a compassionate other—provides the emotional support and closure the younger self missed, breaking the pattern that equates failure with worthlessness.
A: The study was conducted with clinical supervision, and imagery rescripting is a core component of modern Schema Therapy. While self-guided practice may be possible for some, supervised application increases safety and the likelihood of producing the crucial element of surprise that drives biological change.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- The journal paper was reviewed in full.
- Additional context was added by the editorial staff.
About this psychology research news
Author: Marta Danowska-Kisiel
Source: SWPS
Contact: Marta Danowska-Kisiel – SWPS
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Imagine yourself as a little girl…—efficacy and psychophysiology of imagery techniques targeting adverse autobiographical childhood experiences – multi-arm randomised controlled trial” by Julia Bączek, Stanisław Karkosz, Magdalena Pietruch, Robert Szymański, and Jarosław M. Michałowski. Frontiers in Psychology
DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1710963
Abstract
Fear of failure frequently stems from highly self-critical autobiographical memories that produce lasting distress and avoidance. Imagery-based interventions aim to reduce the emotional and physiological impact of such memories, though the mechanisms underlying their effectiveness have been unclear.
In this three-arm parallel-group randomized controlled trial, 180 young adults with elevated fear of failure were assigned to imagery exposure, standard imagery rescripting, or imagery rescripting with a 10-minute delay intended to disrupt memory reconsolidation. Across four sessions delivered over two weeks, outcomes were assessed using self-report measures and physiological markers, with follow-ups at three and six months.
All interventions produced significant and sustained reductions in negative emotions, physiological arousal, and fear of failure, as well as decreased physiological reactivity to autobiographical memories of criticism. Contrary to initial predictions, the delayed rescripting procedure did not outperform standard rescripting. Planned contrasts suggested that standard rescripting provided more consistent benefits, while exposure showed a rebound effect in some measures.
Importantly, prediction error—measured as brief increases in physiological arousal during rescripting—predicted stronger therapeutic change for rescripting but not for exposure. These results indicate that both common therapeutic elements and moments of surprise contribute to durable improvements in emotional responses to adverse memories, refining our understanding of how imagery-based techniques work.