Preventative and restorative safety behaviors: Effects on exposure treatment outcomes and risk for future anxious symptoms

Objectives Two studies investigated the differential effect of preventative and restorative safety behaviors on the treatment and development of anxiety and depression. Method Study 1 investigated the impact of preventative and restorative safety behaviors in prolonged exposure therapy among US veterans with PTSD (N = 95). Study 2 was a 3‐month prospective study investigating preventative and restorative safety behaviors as risk factors for anxious and depressive symptoms in a non‐clinical sample (N = 84). Results The results of Study 1 showed that both preventative and restorative safety behaviors were associated with worse treatment outcomes (both PTSD symptoms and depressive symptoms). The results of Study 2 found that preventative, but not restorative, safety behaviors predicted increases in future anxious symptoms. Neither preventative nor restorative safety behaviors conferred risk for increases in future depression symptoms (anhedonia). Conclusions Preventative and restorative safety behaviors impact PTSD treatment outcomes, while only preventative safety behaviors predict future anxiety.