Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Neuroscience
• Virtual Reality Applications

Background:

• Anorexia nervosa (AN) is associated with attentional bias (AB) towards weight-related body areas.
• This AB is linked to heightened body dissatisfaction (BD) and may impede body exposure therapy effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate a novel virtual reality-based attentional bias modification task (ABMT) for AN patients.
• To assess the ABMT's ability to reduce body-related AB and BD levels in a single session.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-three adolescent AN patients participated in a pilot study.
• Participants used a virtual reality system with eye-tracking to complete the ABMT, focusing on balancing attention between body areas.
• Body-related AB and BD were measured pre- and post-intervention.

Main Results:

• A statistically significant reduction in fixation time on weight-related body parts was observed post-ABMT.
• Significant decreases in body dissatisfaction levels were also found after the intervention.

Conclusions:

• The findings provide initial evidence for the efficacy of the VR-based ABMT in modifying attentional bias and reducing body dissatisfaction in AN.
• This ABMT holds potential clinical implications for managing risk factors in eating disorders.