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Objective. Intrusive memories of extreme trauma can disrupt a stepwise approach to imaginal exposure. Concurrent tasks that load the visuospatial sketchpad (VSSP) of working memory reduce the vividness of recalled images. This study tested whether relief of distress from competing VSSP tasks during imaginal exposure is at the cost of impaired desensitization.

Design. This study examined repeated exposure to emotive memories using 18 unselected undergraduates and a within‐subjects design with three exposure conditions (Eye Movement, Visual Noise, Exposure Alone) in random, counterbalanced order.

Method. At baseline, participants recalled positive and negative experiences, and rated the vividness and emotiveness of each image. A different positive and negative recollection was then used for each condition. Vividness and emotiveness were rated after each of eight exposure trials. At a post …