Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients
Anorexia nervosa (AN) patients exhibit attentional bias (AB) related to the body, which is the tendency to pay greater attention to weight-related body areas compared to non-weight-related ones. This phenomenon has been linked to elevated levels of body dissatisfaction (BD) and may potentially reduc...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-09-01
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| Series: | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/18/5932 |
| _version_ | 1797579445024849920 |
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| author | Mariarca Ascione Marta Carulla-Roig Helena Miquel-Nabau Bruno Porras-Garcia Franck-Alexandre Meschberger-Annweiler Eduardo Serrano-Troncoso Marta Ferrer-Garcia Manuel Moreno-Sánchez Jose Gutierrez-Maldonado |
| author_facet | Mariarca Ascione Marta Carulla-Roig Helena Miquel-Nabau Bruno Porras-Garcia Franck-Alexandre Meschberger-Annweiler Eduardo Serrano-Troncoso Marta Ferrer-Garcia Manuel Moreno-Sánchez Jose Gutierrez-Maldonado |
| author_sort | Mariarca Ascione |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Anorexia nervosa (AN) patients exhibit attentional bias (AB) related to the body, which is the tendency to pay greater attention to weight-related body areas compared to non-weight-related ones. This phenomenon has been linked to elevated levels of body dissatisfaction (BD) and may potentially reduce the effectiveness of body exposure therapy. The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the efficacy of a single session of a new body-related AB modification task (ABMT) that combines virtual reality with eye tracking in patients with AN. The goals of the ABMT are to reduce body-related AB by balancing attention between weight and non-weight-related body areas and to reduce BD levels. Twenty-three adolescent patients with AN were embodied in a virtual avatar and immersed in a virtual environment where they completed the ABMT. Body-related AB measures and BD levels were assessed before and after the training. A paired samples <i>t</i>-test showed statistically significant differences between pre-assessment and post-assessment; the complete fixation time on weight-related body parts was reduced and BD levels decreased. The initial evidence of the efficacy of this ABMT has important clinical implications, since AB and BD are considered risk factors for developing and maintaining eating disorder symptomatology among patients with AN. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:37:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-818ef9542b3246efa46e6325741a0ffe |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-0383 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T22:37:16Z |
| publishDate | 2023-09-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Clinical Medicine |
| spelling | doaj.art-818ef9542b3246efa46e6325741a0ffe2023-11-19T11:19:25ZengMDPI AGJournal of Clinical Medicine2077-03832023-09-011218593210.3390/jcm12185932Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa PatientsMariarca Ascione0Marta Carulla-Roig1Helena Miquel-Nabau2Bruno Porras-Garcia3Franck-Alexandre Meschberger-Annweiler4Eduardo Serrano-Troncoso5Marta Ferrer-Garcia6Manuel Moreno-Sánchez7Jose Gutierrez-Maldonado8Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu of Barcelona, Passeig de Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Population Health Science, University of Utah School of Medicine, 295 Chipeta Way, Salt Lake City, UT 84112, USADepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology, Hospital Sant Joan de Déu of Barcelona, Passeig de Sant Joan de Déu, 2, Esplugues de Llobregat, 08950 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Cognition, Development and Educational Psychology, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, SpainDepartment of Clinical Psychology and Psychobiology, Institute of Neurosciences, University of Barcelona, Passeig de la Vall d’Hebron 171, 08035 Barcelona, SpainAnorexia nervosa (AN) patients exhibit attentional bias (AB) related to the body, which is the tendency to pay greater attention to weight-related body areas compared to non-weight-related ones. This phenomenon has been linked to elevated levels of body dissatisfaction (BD) and may potentially reduce the effectiveness of body exposure therapy. The purpose of this pilot study is to assess the efficacy of a single session of a new body-related AB modification task (ABMT) that combines virtual reality with eye tracking in patients with AN. The goals of the ABMT are to reduce body-related AB by balancing attention between weight and non-weight-related body areas and to reduce BD levels. Twenty-three adolescent patients with AN were embodied in a virtual avatar and immersed in a virtual environment where they completed the ABMT. Body-related AB measures and BD levels were assessed before and after the training. A paired samples <i>t</i>-test showed statistically significant differences between pre-assessment and post-assessment; the complete fixation time on weight-related body parts was reduced and BD levels decreased. The initial evidence of the efficacy of this ABMT has important clinical implications, since AB and BD are considered risk factors for developing and maintaining eating disorder symptomatology among patients with AN.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/18/5932anorexia nervosaattentional bias modificationbody dissatisfaction |
| spellingShingle | Mariarca Ascione Marta Carulla-Roig Helena Miquel-Nabau Bruno Porras-Garcia Franck-Alexandre Meschberger-Annweiler Eduardo Serrano-Troncoso Marta Ferrer-Garcia Manuel Moreno-Sánchez Jose Gutierrez-Maldonado Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients Journal of Clinical Medicine anorexia nervosa attentional bias modification body dissatisfaction |
| title | Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients |
| title_full | Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients |
| title_fullStr | Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients |
| title_full_unstemmed | Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients |
| title_short | Attentional Bias Modification Training Based on Virtual Reality and Eye Tracking in Anorexia Nervosa Patients |
| title_sort | attentional bias modification training based on virtual reality and eye tracking in anorexia nervosa patients |
| topic | anorexia nervosa attentional bias modification body dissatisfaction |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-0383/12/18/5932 |
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