The Effect Of Attention Bias Modification Training On The Treatment Of Major Depression Disorder

Background and Purpose:A large number of studies have found that depressed individuals maintained attention to negative information.negative cognitive biases are considered to have an important role in the origin,maintenance and recurrence of depressive episodes.This study will explore the short-term and long-term effects of neutral attention bias modification on depression symptoms empirically.Methods:The Major Depression Disorder students who participated in the experimental group and the placebo group were screened out by BDI-II(Beck Depression Inventory)scale and K-SADS(The Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for school-age children present version)interview from 2017 class of 6,885 ordinary college students.A total of 30 participants were randomly assigned to the attentional bias modification training group(n=15)and the training placebo group(n=15),using the point detection task as the experimental paradigm,the neutral and negative words are paired as the training material,complete 13 training in 3 weeks,each training have 324(54x6)trials.The task of point detection training in attention bias modification training group was:90%of detection points fell on neutral words,10%of detection points fell on negative sad words;The placebo group had the same spot detection task,with only 50%of the spots falling on neutral words and 50%on negative words.Before and after the training,the scores of attentional biases were evaluated separately,and the number and severity of depressive symptoms were evaluated by the self-report BDI-?(depressive symptoms),K-SADS(The Schedule for Affective Disorder and Schizophrenia for school-age children present version)Clinical interview and HAMD(Hamilton Depression Scale)assessment scale as the main evaluation index of training effect,STAI-T(Trait Anxiety),RRS(Rumination Response),ACS(Attention Control),DAS(Dysfunctional Attitude),SIQ(Suicidal Ideation),ALEQ(Stress life events)are secondary indicators of assessment.To assess a long time effect of training,three follow-up evaluations were performed with BDA-II(Depressive Symptoms),STAI-T(Trait Anxiety),RRS((Rumination Response)and ACS(Attention Control)scales for 1 weeks,2 weeks,and 4 weeks after the neutral attention training.Results:(1)After the attention bias modification training,the two groups had no significant difference in the change of the negative attention bias score(p=0.76).(2)After the attention bias modification training,the number of symptoms were significantly different(p<0.001);5 participants(33.33%)intraining groupwere no longer satisfied with clear/suspicious diagnostic criteria for major/mild depressive episode,6 participants(40%)in the placebo group were no longer eligible.Two groups had no statistically significant difference in the criteria(p=0.83).(3)The training group and the placebo group in the neutral attention bias modification training,there were significant differences in BDI-?(depressive symptoms),STAI-T(trait Anxiety)and RRS Rumination Response)scores on the 1-week,2-week,4-week time assessment points(both p<0.001);Two groups had no statistically significant difference in the criteria(p=0.69,p=0.69,p=0.45).Conclusion:Because the neutral attention bias modification training program failed to successfully correct the attention bias of individuals with depression,the attention bias modification training group did not significantly improve the depression symptoms of individuals with depression compared with the placebo group.The results suggest that the attention bias correction training may be ineffective in the treatment of depressive patients.Future studies will need to further establish a blank control group to determine whether placebo training also has a training effect.