Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studies
Abstract The aim of the present research was to develop and test the efficacy of a novel online contingent attention training (i.e., OCAT) to modify attention and interpretation biases, improve emotion regulation, and reduce emotional symptom levels in the face of major stressors. Two proof-of-princ...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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SpringerOpen
2023-05-01
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| Series: | Cognitive Research |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-023-00480-3 |
| _version_ | 1797827688189132800 |
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| author | Ivan Blanco Teresa Boemo Oscar Martin-Garcia Ernst H. W. Koster Rudi De Raedt Alvaro Sanchez-Lopez |
| author_facet | Ivan Blanco Teresa Boemo Oscar Martin-Garcia Ernst H. W. Koster Rudi De Raedt Alvaro Sanchez-Lopez |
| author_sort | Ivan Blanco |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The aim of the present research was to develop and test the efficacy of a novel online contingent attention training (i.e., OCAT) to modify attention and interpretation biases, improve emotion regulation, and reduce emotional symptom levels in the face of major stressors. Two proof-of-principle studies were carried out. In study 1, 64 undergraduates who were about to start a major stressful period (i.e., final exams) were randomized to undergo 10 days of active OCAT or a sham-control training. Emotion regulation (habitual use of rumination and reappraisal) and symptom levels (depression and anxiety) were assessed before and after the intervention. In study 2, the same 2 × 2 mixed design was used with 58 individuals from the general population undergoing a major stressful situation (the lockdown period at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020). In both studies, the OCAT group showed significant improvements on attention towards negative information and interpretation biases in comparison to the sham-control group. Additionally, changes in cognitive biases transferred to reductions of participants’ use of rumination and anxiety symptom levels. These results show preliminary evidence regarding the efficacy of the OCAT to target attention and interpretation biases as well as to improve emotion regulation processes and to buffer against the effects of major stressors. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:52:21Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-165f1552a6254169b5656b48addf2ad7 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2365-7464 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-09T12:52:21Z |
| publishDate | 2023-05-01 |
| publisher | SpringerOpen |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cognitive Research |
| spelling | doaj.art-165f1552a6254169b5656b48addf2ad72023-05-14T11:05:50ZengSpringerOpenCognitive Research2365-74642023-05-018111910.1186/s41235-023-00480-3Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studiesIvan Blanco0Teresa Boemo1Oscar Martin-Garcia2Ernst H. W. Koster3Rudi De Raedt4Alvaro Sanchez-Lopez5Department of Clinical Psychology, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Complutense University of MadridDepartment of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Experimental Clinical and Health Psychology, Ghent UniversityDepartment of Clinical Psychology, Complutense University of MadridAbstract The aim of the present research was to develop and test the efficacy of a novel online contingent attention training (i.e., OCAT) to modify attention and interpretation biases, improve emotion regulation, and reduce emotional symptom levels in the face of major stressors. Two proof-of-principle studies were carried out. In study 1, 64 undergraduates who were about to start a major stressful period (i.e., final exams) were randomized to undergo 10 days of active OCAT or a sham-control training. Emotion regulation (habitual use of rumination and reappraisal) and symptom levels (depression and anxiety) were assessed before and after the intervention. In study 2, the same 2 × 2 mixed design was used with 58 individuals from the general population undergoing a major stressful situation (the lockdown period at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020). In both studies, the OCAT group showed significant improvements on attention towards negative information and interpretation biases in comparison to the sham-control group. Additionally, changes in cognitive biases transferred to reductions of participants’ use of rumination and anxiety symptom levels. These results show preliminary evidence regarding the efficacy of the OCAT to target attention and interpretation biases as well as to improve emotion regulation processes and to buffer against the effects of major stressors.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-023-00480-3Attention bias modificationInterpretation bias modificationSmartphone appEmotion regulationPsychological symptoms |
| spellingShingle | Ivan Blanco Teresa Boemo Oscar Martin-Garcia Ernst H. W. Koster Rudi De Raedt Alvaro Sanchez-Lopez Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studies Cognitive Research Attention bias modification Interpretation bias modification Smartphone app Emotion regulation Psychological symptoms |
| title | Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studies |
| title_full | Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studies |
| title_fullStr | Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studies |
| title_full_unstemmed | Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studies |
| title_short | Online Contingent Attention Training (OCAT): transfer effects to cognitive biases, rumination, and anxiety symptoms from two proof-of-principle studies |
| title_sort | online contingent attention training ocat transfer effects to cognitive biases rumination and anxiety symptoms from two proof of principle studies |
| topic | Attention bias modification Interpretation bias modification Smartphone app Emotion regulation Psychological symptoms |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-023-00480-3 |
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