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Attentional bias modification in posttraumatic stress disorder: a randomized controlled trial
Maartje Schoorl1, Peter Putman, Willem Van Der Does
1Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics
|January 9, 2013
Summary
Attentional bias modification (ABM) did not effectively treat chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). While ABM showed moderate acceptability, it was no more effective than control treatments in reducing PTSD symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Psychiatry
- Clinical Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Attentional bias modification (ABM) is an emerging therapy for anxiety disorders.
- Prior studies demonstrated ABM's efficacy in social anxiety and generalized anxiety disorder.
- This research evaluated ABM for chronic posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effectiveness of ABM in treating chronic PTSD.
- To compare ABM's efficacy against a control treatment in PTSD outpatients.
Main Methods:
- A randomized controlled double-blind trial involving 102 outpatients with chronic PTSD.
- Participants received eight 20-minute sessions of either ABM or a control treatment over 3 weeks.
- Symptoms and attentional bias were measured pre-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3-week follow-up.
Main Results:
- Both ABM and the control treatment equally reduced PTSD symptoms.
- Effect sizes for symptom improvement were comparable to placebo effects in PTSD pharmacotherapy.
- Neither treatment significantly altered attentional bias; ABM had moderate acceptability and tolerability.
Conclusions:
- The investigated version of ABM is not an effective standalone treatment for chronic PTSD.
- Further research may be needed to refine ABM protocols for PTSD.
- Current findings suggest ABM does not offer advantages over standard care for PTSD.
