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Cited by 90Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive ProcessesNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesPsychotherapy Techniques and Applications

Anxiety-linked attentional bias and its modification: illustrating the importance of distinguishing processes and procedures in experimental psychopathology research

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MacLeod, Colin, Grafton, Ben·2016·Behaviour Research and Therapy
DOI 10.1016/j.brat.2016.07.005
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Abstract

In this review of research concerning anxiety-linked attentional bias, we seek to illustrate a general principle that we contend applies across the breadth of experimental psychopathology. Specifically, we highlight how maintenance of a clear distinction between process and procedure serves to enhance the advancement of knowledge and understanding, while failure to maintain this distinction can foster confusion and misconception. We show how such clear differentiation has permitted the continuous refinement of assessment procedures, in ways that have led to growing confidence in the existence of the putative attentional bias process of interest, and also increasing understanding of its nature. In contrast, we show how a failure to consistently differentiate between process and procedure has contributed to confusion concerning whether or not attentional bias modification reliably alters anxiety vulnerability and dysfunction. As we demonstrate, such confusion can be avoided by distinguishing the process of attentional bias modification from the procedures that have been employed with the intention of evoking this target process. Such an approach reveals that procedures adopted with the intention of eliciting the attentional bias modification process do not always do so, but that successful evocation of the attentional bias modification process quite reliably alters anxiety symptomatology. We consider some of the specific implications for future research concerning attentional bias modification, while also pointing to the broader implications for experimental psychopathology research in general.

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  • ABM threat-avoidance training is less effective when delivered at home than in laboratory or clinic settings, possibly because greater distractions at home impair learning.

    “ABM threatavoidance training is less effective when delivered at home than in laboratory/clinic settings, possibly because greater distractions at home impair learning [8,13].”

    From Anxiety and Threat-Related Attention: Cognitive-Motivational Framework and Treatment (2018) · cites this paper as [8]

  • Poor outcomes of conventional ABM may be explained by deficient training procedures, such as failure to modify the target process of reducing pre-existing AB in orienting towards threat.

    “Poor outcomes may be explained by deficient training procedures: if ABM threat-avoidance training fails to modify its target process (i.e., reduce pre-existing AB in orienting towards threat), this could explain its failure to reduce anxiety [5,8,16,17].”

    From Anxiety and Threat-Related Attention: Cognitive-Motivational Framework and Treatment (2018) · cites this paper as [8]

  • Several studies have found that reductions in anxiety and AB measures co-occurred during ABM training.

    “Several studies have found that reductions in anxiety and AB measures co-occurred during ABM training, which is compatible with a causal role of AB in anxiety [5,8,17].”

    From Anxiety and Threat-Related Attention: Cognitive-Motivational Framework and Treatment (2018) · cites this paper as [8]

  • The co-occurrence of reductions in anxiety and AB measures during ABM training is compatible with a causal role of AB in anxiety.

    “Several studies have found that reductions in anxiety and AB measures co-occurred during ABM training, which is compatible with a causal role of AB in anxiety [5,8,17].”

    From Anxiety and Threat-Related Attention: Cognitive-Motivational Framework and Treatment (2018) · cites this paper as [8]

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Research works printed but not linked: 2

  1. Grafton, B., MacLeod, C., Rudaizky, D., Holmes, E., Salemink, E., & Fox, E. (under review). Confusing procedures with process when appraising the impact of cognitive bias modification (CBM) on emotional vulnerability: A response to Cristea et al. (2015). British Journal of Psychiatry.
  2. MacLeod, C., Grafton, B., Notebaert, L., Clarke, P. J. F., & Rudaizky, D. (2014). Emotion in motion: A novel approach to the assessment and modification of attentional bias. Poster presented at Stress and Anxiety Research Society Conference, Cluj-Napoca, Romania.

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Authors
MacLeod, C., & Grafton, B.
Affiliations
The University of Western Australia (AU)
Corresponding author
MacLeod, Colin
ORCID
Venue
Behaviour Research and Therapy
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-11
Volume
86
Pages
68-86
ISSN
0005-7967 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.brat.2016.07.005
OpenAlex
W2483512189
Cited by
90
References
149
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 4 · 2024: 7 · 2023: 6 · 2022: 8 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 6 · 2019: 14 · 2018: 19 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 4
FWCI
2.20
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Behaviour Research and Therapy (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UWA Profiles and Research Repository (University of Western Australia) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
Funders
  • Autoritatea Natională pentru Cercetare Stiintifică (DP140104448, DP140103713, PNII-ID-PCCE-2011-2-0045)
  • Corporation for National and Community Service (DP140104448, DP140103713, PNII-ID-PCCE-2011-2-0045)
  • Australian Research Council (DP140104448, DP140103713, PNII-ID-PCCE-2011-2-0045)
  • Unitatea Executiva pentru Finantarea Invatamantului Superior, a Cercetarii, Dezvoltarii si Inovarii (DP140104448, DP140103713, PNII-ID-PCCE-2011-2-0045)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Psychotherapy Techniques and Applications
Keywords
attentional bias modification, anxiety, attentional bias, anxiety vulnerability, experimental psychopathology, assessment methods, cognitive bias modification
MeSH terms
Attentional Bias, Anxiety, Humans, Psychopathology, Behavioral Research

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