Cited by 869Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesPsychotherapy Techniques and ApplicationsPsychological Treatments and Assessments

Attention bias modification treatment: a meta-analysis toward the establishment of novel treatment for anxiety

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Hakamata, Yuko, Lissek, Shmuel, Bar-Haim, Yair, Britton, Jennifer C., Fox, Nathan A., Leibenluft, Ellen, Ernst, Monique, Pine, Daniel S.·2010·Biological Psychiatry

Abstract

Background Attention Bias Modification Treatment (ABMT) is a newly-emerging promising treatment for anxiety disorders. While recent randomized control trials (RCTs) suggest that ABMT reduces anxiety, therapeutic effects have not been summarized quantitatively. Methods Standard meta-analytic procedures were used to summarize the effect of ABMT on anxiety. Using MEDLINE, January 1995 to February 2010, we identified RCTs comparing the effects on anxiety of ABMT and quantified effect sizes using Hedge’s d. Results Twelve studies met inclusion criteria, including 467 participants from 10 publications. ABMT produced significantly greater reductions in anxiety than control training, with a medium effect (d = 0.61, p <.001). Age and gender did not moderate the effect of ABMT on anxiety, while several characteristics of the ABMT training did. Conclusions ABMT shows promise as a novel treatment for anxiety. Additional RCTs are needed to fully evaluate the degree to which these findings replicate and apply to patients. Future work should consider the precise role for ABMT in the broader anxiety-disorder therapeutic armamentarium.

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Crossref · 10.1016/j.biopsych.2010.07.021

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  • Many ABM studies have shown that redirecting attention from threat to non-threat cues yields greater reduction of self-reported and clinically rated fear symptoms than attending directly to phobic stimuli, though findings are inconsistent when compared to more rigorous control conditions.

    “Many ABM studies have shown that this redirection of attention yields greater reduction of self-reported and clinically rated fear symptoms than attending directly to phobic stimuli (Hakamata, Lissek, Bar-Haim, Britton, et al. 2010; Heeren, Reese, McNally & Philippot, 2012; however, see Mogg, Waters & Bradley (2017) for inconsistent findings when ABM is compared to more rigorous control conditions”

    From Advancing the treatment of anxiety disorders in transition‐age youth: a review of the therapeutic effects of unconscious exposure. (2025) · cites this paper as Hakamata, Lissek, Bar-Haim, Britton, et al. 2010

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  • Successful modification of cognitive biases parallels symptom improvement following cognitive behavioral therapy, pharmacotherapy, or systematic training aimed at altering biases.

    “Furthermore, successful modification of cognitive biases parallels symptom improvement following cognitive behavioral therapy (Pishyar et al., 2008), pharmacotherapy (Mogg et al., 2004), or systematic training aimed at altering biases (Hakamata et al., 2010; Beard et al., 2011).”
  • Initial positive results with attention bias modification have been reported in psychopathology.

    “Initial positive results with this strategy have been reported in chronic pain [14] and in psychopathology [8].”

    From Attentional bias and chronic pain: Where to go from here? (2014) · cites this paper as [8]

  • Computer-based cognitive bias training tasks reduce self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression.

    “and, importantly, have also been found to reduce self-reported symptoms of anxiety and depression (Hakamata et al, 2010; Wells and Beevers, 2009).”
  • The literature on attentional cognitive bias training ameliorating symptoms of depression is less consistent than that demonstrating an anxiolytic effect.

    “Although there is evidence that attentional cognitive bias training does ameliorate symptoms of depression, this literature is less consistent (Baert et al, 2010; Wells et al, 2009) than that demonstrating an anxiolytic effect (Hakamata et al, 2010).”

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Research works printed but not linked: 1

  1. [33]MacLeod C Soong LY Rutherford EM Campbell LW 2007 Internet-delivered assessment and manipulation of anxiety-linked attentional bias: validation of a free-access attentional probe software package Behav Res Methods 39 533 538 17958165

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Authors
Hakamata, Y., Lissek, S., Bar-Haim, Y., Britton, J. C., Fox, N. A., Leibenluft, E., Ernst, M., & Pine, D. S.
Affiliations
  • National Institute of Mental Health (JP)
  • National Institute of Mental Health (US)
  • University of Maryland, College Park (US)
Corresponding author
Hakamata, Yuko
Venue
Biological Psychiatry
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2010-12
Volume
68
Issue
11
Pages
982-990
ISSN
0006-3223 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2153922516
Cited by
869
References
48
Citations by year
2026: 16 · 2025: 31 · 2024: 28 · 2023: 42 · 2022: 24 · 2021: 50 · 2020: 44 · 2019: 60 · 2018: 68 · 2017: 62 · 2016: 65 · 2015: 101 · 2014: 75 · 2013: 89 · 2012: 70
FWCI
8.05
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Biological Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
Japan Society for the Promotion of Science
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychological Treatments and Assessments
Keywords
attentional bias modification, anxiety disorders, anxiety treatment, cognitive bias modification, effect size, treatment moderators, age and gender differences
MeSH terms
Anxiety, Anxiety Disorders, Attention, Behavior Therapy, Humans

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