Attentional bias modification treatment for depression: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial
Hsu, K. J., Caffey, K., Pisner, D., Shumake, J., Risom, S., Ray, K. L., . . . Beevers, C. G. (2018).
Attentional bias modification treatment for depression: Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial.
Contemporary Clinical Trials, 75, 59-66. doi:.
Although negatively biased attention has a central theoretical and empirical role in the maintenance of depression, there are few behavioral treatments that successfully target and improve this deficit. The current proposal builds upon our prior work and aims to further develop an attention bias modification intervention. We propose to develop a highly specific intervention that directly targets negative attention bias and the neurobiology that supports it, using cutting-edge cognitive neuroscience to inform treatment development and improve quality of life of patients whose psychopathology is maintained by negative attention bias.
Assessing attention bias with a web-based eyetracker: A preliminary investigation
Stewart, R., Risom, S., Beevers, C. (2019, March). Assessing attention bias with a web-based eye tracker:
A preliminary investigation, In Anxiety and Depression Association of America, Chicago, 2019-29-03.
Resources: data
Cognitive models of depression suggest depression is associated with negatively biased attention, a potential risk and maintenance factor. Previous studies utilizing the emotional variant of the dot-probe task have shown that depressed individuals selectively attend to negative stimuli. In recent years, researchers have begun exploring the potential of online, web-based platforms for use in psychological research, either on their own or to supplement more traditional forms of data collection. These online platforms have distinct advantages, as they allow researchers to sample a much larger population than would normally be available to them in more naturalistic settings. However, eye tracking studies have generally involved expensive, specialized equipment, and have been largely restricted to laboratories and highly controlled settings. The current study sought to investigate the potential of WebGazer.js, an online eye tracker that utilizes participant’s webcams, to collect behavioral and gaze data related to a dot-probe task.