Mentally rewriting painful childhood memories may help break their emotional hold and reduce fear of failure for months afterward. Credit: Shutterstock 在脑海中重塑痛苦的童年记忆或许有助于摆脱其情感束缚，并在接下来的几个月里减轻对失败的恐惧。图片来源：Shutterstock
Certain imagery-based psychotherapy techniques may help reduce fear of failure connected to painful childhood experiences, according to research from scientists at SWPS University and the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology. The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Psychology. 根据西南心理学与心理学大学（SWPS University）和南基实验生物学研究所（Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology）的科学家们的研究，某些基于意象的心理疗法可能有助于减轻与童年痛苦经历相关的失败恐惧。该研究结果发表在 《心理学前沿》（Frontiers in Psychology） 杂志上。
Difficult experiences early in life, including criticism, neglect, or severe reactions from caregivers, can influence emotional well-being and quality of life years later. How adults respond when a child makes a mistake may be especially important in shaping future patterns of thought and emotion. In some cases, those experiences can contribute to a fear of failure rooted in the belief that mistakes make a person less worthy in the eyes of others. 早年生活中的艰难经历，例如批评、忽视或照护者的严厉反应，会对多年后的情绪健康和生活质量产生影响。成人对孩子犯错的反应，对于塑造孩子未来的思维和情感模式尤为重要。在某些情况下，这些经历会导致孩子产生对失败的恐惧，这种恐惧源于一种根深蒂固的观念：犯错会降低自己在他人眼中的价值。
Researchers from the Poznań-based Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychology, SWPS University, and the Laboratory of Brain Imaging at the Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology in Warsaw set out to determine whether imagery-based psychotherapy could reduce the ongoing effects of these painful memories on everyday life. 来自波兹南 SWPS 大学心理学研究所情感神经科学实验室和华沙 Nencki 实验生物学研究所脑成像实验室的研究人员着手确定基于图像的心理疗法是否可以减轻这些痛苦记忆对日常生活的持续影响。
Testing Whether Memory Work Can Create Lasting Change 测试记忆训练是否能带来持久改变
The randomized, controlled clinical trial included 180 young adults (between 18 and 35 years of age) who experienced fear of failure. During a two-week period, participants took part in four therapy sessions focused on difficult childhood memories involving criticism. 这项随机对照临床试验纳入了180名有失败恐惧感的年轻人（年龄在18至35岁之间）。在为期两周的时间里，参与者接受了四次治疗，治疗内容主要围绕童年时期遭受批评等痛苦记忆展开。
One group used the Imagery Exposure (IE) technique. Participants were asked to recall situations that had triggered fear or anxiety (the active control group). 其中一组采用了意象暴露疗法（IE）。参与者被要求回忆那些引发恐惧或焦虑的情境（主动控制组）。
A second group received Imagery Rescripting (ImRs), a technique designed to change the way a memory unfolds in the imagination. Participants brought a distressing experience to mind and then imagined a “defender” (e.g., a therapist) entering the scene, confronting the person delivering the criticism, and offering support to the child. 第二组接受了意象重塑疗法（ImRs），这是一种旨在改变记忆在想象中展开方式的技术。参与者回忆起一段令人痛苦的经历，然后想象一位“保护者”（例如，治疗师）进入场景，与批评者对峙，并为孩子提供支持。
The third group used the same therapeutic approach, but with a 10-minute delay procedure (ImRs-DSR). Researchers designed this delay to interfere with the memory trace associated with the critical experience, potentially strengthening the intervention’s effects. 第三组采用相同的治疗方法，但增加了 10 分钟的延迟程序（ImRs-DSR）。研究人员设计这一延迟是为了干扰与关键经历相关的记忆痕迹，从而可能增强干预效果。
Participants completed questionnaires and interviews, while researchers also tracked physiological measures. Follow-up assessments took place three and six months later. 参与者填写了问卷并接受了访谈，研究人员还追踪了他们的生理指标。三个月和六个月后分别进行了随访评估。
Fear, Guilt, and Stress Declined 恐惧、内疚和压力减轻
All of the imagery-based approaches produced a significant and lasting reduction in fear of failure. Participants also reported lower levels of negative emotions, including sadness and guilt. 所有基于意象的方法都显著且持久地降低了对失败的恐惧。参与者还报告说，他们的负面情绪，包括悲伤和内疚感，也降低了。
Their bodies appeared to respond differently as well. Physiological reactions to memories of criticism decreased, indicating that recalling distressing experiences no longer triggered the same level of intense stress. These improvements remained evident during follow-ups at three and six months, suggesting that the psychological effects were stable over time. 他们的身体反应似乎也不同。对批评记忆的生理反应有所减轻，表明回忆痛苦经历不再引发同样程度的强烈压力。这些改善在三个月和六个月的随访中仍然明显，表明心理效应随时间推移保持稳定。
“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 study co-author Julia Bączek, a psychologist from the Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychology, SWPS University. “这项研究表明，可以减轻与童年时期遭受批评的记忆相关的负面情绪和唤醒程度。选择合适的技巧可以影响人们体验这些记忆的方式，从而减轻它们的负担，”该研究的合著者、瑞士洛桑社会科学大学心理学研究所情感神经科学实验室的心理学家朱莉娅·巴切克 (Julia Bączek) 说。
Why Surprise May Matter 为什么惊喜可能很重要
The researchers found that imagery rescripting worked especially well when it produced a moment of surprise. They linked this effect to prediction error, which occurs when there is a mismatch between what someone expects and what actually happens. 研究人员发现，当图像重构能够制造出意想不到的惊喜时，效果尤为显著。他们将这种效应与预测误差联系起来，预测误差是指人们的预期与实际发生的事情不符。
That unexpected difference may help loosen established emotional patterns and make it easier for the mind to replace old, painful responses with new ones. 这种意想不到的差异可能有助于打破既定的情绪模式，使大脑更容易用新的反应取代旧的、痛苦的反应。
“We have shown that a crucial part of imagery-based therapy is creating a discrepancy between what the patient expects and what actually happens in the new memory. It is this surprise that paves the way for a lasting therapeutic change,” says study co-author Stanisław Karkosz, a cognitive scientist from the Laboratory of Affective Neuroscience at the Institute of Psychology, SWPS University. “我们已经证明，基于图像的疗法的关键在于制造患者预期与新记忆中实际发生的事情之间的差异。正是这种意外为持久的治疗改变铺平了道路，”该研究的合著者、来自 SWPS 大学心理学研究所情感神经科学实验室的认知科学家斯坦尼斯瓦夫·卡尔科什说道。
Painful Memories Do Not Have to Stay Emotionally Fixed 痛苦的回忆不必永远停留在情感层面。
The findings suggest that imagery-based techniques can change how people respond to current challenges by allowing them to “write” new, safe endings to painful experiences from the past. 研究结果表明，基于图像的技术可以改变人们应对当前挑战的方式，让他们能够为过去痛苦的经历“书写”新的、安全的结局。
The results also indicate that difficult memories (including those related to failure) do not necessarily have to be experienced in the same emotional way forever. Julia Bączek emphasizes that past experiences can be processed differently over time, rather than remaining fixed and unchangeable. 研究结果还表明，痛苦的记忆（包括与失败相关的记忆）并非一定会永远以相同的情感方式呈现。朱莉娅·巴切克强调，过去的经历会随着时间的推移而以不同的方式被解读，而不是固定不变的。
