Attentional bias modification based on visual probe task: methodological issues, results and clinical relevance

Abstract

Introduction: Attentional bias, the tendency that a person has to drive or maintain attention to a specific class of stimuli, may play an important role in the etiology and persistence of mental disorders. Attentional bias modification has been studied as a form of additional treatment related to automatic processing. Objectives: This systematic literature review compared and discussed methods, evidence of success and potential clinical applications of studies about attentional bias modification (ABM) using a visual probe task. Methods: The Web of Knowledge, PubMed and PsycInfo were searched using the keywords attentional bias modification, attentional bias manipulation and attentional bias training. We selected empirical studies about ABM training using a visual probe task written in English and published between 2002 and 2014. Results: Fifty-seven studies met inclusion criteria. Most (78%) succeeded in training attention in the predicted direction, and in 71% results were generalized to other measures correlated with the symptoms. Conclusions: ABM has potential clinical utility, but to standardize methods and maximize applicability, future studies should include clinical samples and be based on findings of studies about its effectiveness.

Stimulating Intrinsic Motivation in Millennial Students: A New Generation, a New Approach

“…Research studies have conclusively demonstrated positive relationships between this form of educator support (Prensky, ; Pape et al, ), and scholastic self‐determination (Abeysekera and Dawson, ; Barrett et al, ), and engagement (Hansen, ; Bradley et al, ; Brass et al, ). The practice of AST also contributes to the development of IM by providing a rationale for choices (Tai et al, ; Queen and Hess, ), empathizing with the perspectives of students (Ten Cate et al, ; Hickman et al, ), and minimizing the use of controlling language (Mohr et al, ; Lopes et al, ; Meza et al, ) in the teaching environment. These practices provide students with the opportunity to pursue unique individual goals (Woolley and Fishbach, ) and interests (Ezell et al, ; Agius et al, ), and satisfy their needs for autonomy (Woolley and Fishbach, ) and competence (Desy et al, ; Gauer and Jackson, ).…”

“…It has been proposed that an underlying cause for burnouts in health care students is the result of a fear of the demands of the course that lead to an instinctual fight or flight reaction (Robotham and Julian, ). Considering that stress does not have a linear progression or regression (Jacobs et al, ; van Gessel et al, ), and the stigma associated with mental health issues (Lopes et al, ; Luthar, ), this endeavor will require intensive efforts to maximize the use of mental health support services by students.…”

“…This review is based on a scrutiny of scientific publications that have been largely derived from the data generated from surveys of student personal satisfaction (Kong et al, ; Zielezinski and Karlowski, ; Strombach et al, ) and preference (Nuffer et al, ; Eidson et al, ; Khalil et al, ). Since most of the reported studies are usually from one or two similar institutions (Kong et al, ; Streilein et al, ), the opinions that have been espoused are at times based on the observations (Jacobs et al, ; Pape et al, ) and perceptions (Lopes et al, ; Rogers and Tutty, ; Mor et al, ) of researchers of isolated student populations. Thus, the published literature may not be accurately reflective of the extraordinary diversity of the present‐day student population (Bradley et al, ; Strombach et al, ; Brass et al, ; Mabel and Britton, ).…”

Spatiotemporal brain dynamics underlying attentional bias modifications

“…Amir et al, 2008;Britton et al, 2015;Heeren et al, 2015). Based on the evidence that abnormal AB contributes to the development and maintenance of many psychiatric disorders, important efforts have been invested into the development of behavioral interventions aiming to reduce ABs (Hakamata et al, 2010;Lopes et al, 2015;MacLeod and Clarke, 2014). However, while attentional bias modification (ABM) procedures have shown promising behavioral effects, their underlying neurocognitive mechanisms remain unclear.…”

Implicit Cognition for Alcohol in the Workplace: An Essay Review Article for Health Promotion and Human Resources Management

“…For example, it is accepted that, with time, effort, and motivation, individuals can evolve from implicit to explicit behaviors (Cunningham, Zelazo, Packer, & Van Bavel, 2007;Viacava, Weydmann, Tietze, Santolim, & Bizarro, 2016). The opposite is also admitted, but the transition from explicit to implicit behavior seems to depend on repeated exposure to new associations (Lopes, Viacava, & Bizarro, 2015).…”