Attention Bias Modification Training for Socially Anxious Adolescents: A Randomized Control Trial

Detailed Summary

Attention bias modification training (ABMT) is a computer-based attention training programme designed to modify the way a person's attention is directed to mild threats in the environment. What a person focuses their attention on plays an important role in how safe or unsafe they feel in certain situations. Much research has shown that people with high levels of anxiety tend to focus their attention on negative information in their surroundings. The purpose of ABMT is to set in place attention patterns that do not lead to excessive anxiety. The present study will test whether this treatment is effective in reducing social anxiety in 15-18 year olds in school settings. The study design consists of two phases. During Phase 1 participants will complete a screening questionnaire in relation to their wellbeing and emotions. This questionnaire will include a measure of the affective, cognitive, and behavioural components of social anxiety in adolescence. Depending on their suitability (i.e. scoring above a cut-off on a standardised measure of social anxiety in Phase 1 of the study), participants may then be invited to take part in a 4-week computer-based attention training programme. The purpose of this phase is to see if ABMT will help young people feel less worried or nervous in social situations by teaching them to focus on their environment differently. Previous research containing attention training tasks similar to this training programme suggests that attention training can reduce symptoms of social anxiety in adolescents. Individuals who are invited to take part in the training session will be randomly assigned to either the intervention (ABMT) or placebo (inactive) group. Both groups will be asked to complete a 4-week programme involving one computer training session per week (each session takes approximately 15-20 minutes). Questionnaires will also be given to participants to complete before and after the intervention, along with a 12-week follow up assessment. These will include questionnaires to measure social anxiety, depressive symptoms, and fears in relation to negative evaluation. Each questionnaire will take approximately 40 minutes to complete. Participants will not know whether they have received the intervention or placebo training until after the intervention.

Study Details

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Interventions