Targeting threat and reward processes for the treatment of depression and anxiety: from the laboratory to community-based application
Keynote 3 - Targeting Threat and Reward Processes for the Treatment of Depression and Anxiety: from the Laboratory to Community-based Application
Thursday, June 25, 2026
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM PDT
Location: Golden Gate A, B2 Level
Earn 1 Credit
Keywords: Anxiety, Depression, Level of Familiarity: Moderate Recommended Readings: Craske MG, Treanor M, Zbozinek TD, & Vervliet B. Optimizing exposure therapy with an inhibitory retrieval approach and the OptEx Nexus. (2022) Behaviour Research and Therapy. 2022 May;152:104069. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2022.104069. Epub 2022 Mar 15. PMID: 35325683. , Craske, M. G., Dunn, B. D., Meuret, A. E., Rizvi, S. J., & Taylor, C. T. (2024). Positive affect and reward processing in the treatment of depression, anxiety and trauma. Nature Reviews Psychology, 3(10), 665-685. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44159-024-00355-4 , Wen, A., Wolitzky-Taylor, K., Gibbons, R.D., & Craske, M.G. (2023). A randomized controlled trial on using predictive algorithms to adapt level of psychological care for community college students: STAND triaging and adapting to level of care study protocol. Trials, 24(1), 1-19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-023-07441-7 , ,
Distinguished Professor University of California Los Angeles Los Angeles, California, United States
Threat and reward reactivity are fundamental processes that become dysregulated in the context of vulnerability to, or expression of, anxiety and depression. I will present our latest findings regarding neural, behavioral and subjective features of threat and reward reactivity that correlate with and predict fears, anxiety, depression and anhedonia. I will then present our latest evidence for optimizing exposure therapy using an inhibitory retrieval model, its effectiveness relative to an habituation model, and mechanistic and moderator data. Next, I will present our series of investigations of Positive Affect Treatment that specifically targets reward mechanisms, its effectiveness as well as mechanistic data. I will conclude with discussion of community-based applications of these interventions through our STAND (Screening, Tracking and Treating Anxiety and Depression) model of care in college student samples.
Learning Objectives:
Explain the role of reward and threat reactivity in anxiety, depression and anhedonia.
Describe the evidence for the efficacy of Inhibitory Retrieval Model of Exposure Therapy and Positive Affect Treatment.
Gain familiarity with community-based application of these interventions through STAND model of care.
