Behavioral approach test
In vivo behavioral approach tests (BAT) were conducted prior to, and after exposure treatment in the exposure group, to assess treatment efficacy with respect to fear and avoidance. In the control group, not receiving exposure, two BATs were performed with an inter-test interval of 1 week in order to assess the effects of task repetition, passage of time, and the reliability of the measuring tool (the individual ranks of the participants within the group should not change significantly). BATs were measured in terms of approach distance to the fear-eliciting stimulus and in terms of subjective ratings of fear levels at the closest distance to the fear-eliciting stimulus reached by the participant.