Imagery-based therapy reduces fear of failure rooted in childhood criticism, effects lasting six months

A randomized controlled trial of 180 young adults showed that Imagery Rescripting—a technique where participants recall painful criticism and imagine a supporter confronting the critic—produced significant reductions in fear of failure, guilt, sadness, and stress that remained stable at three and six-month follow-ups. Published in Frontiers in Psychology.

The study involved young adults (18–35) with self-reported fear of failure; generalization to other age groups or presentations would require further research.