title: Attention bias variability and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder.
abstract: Cognitive theories implicate information-processing biases in the etiology of anxiety disorders. Results of attention-bias studies in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) have been inconsistent, suggesting biases towards and away from threat. Within-subject variability of attention biases in posttraumatic patients may be a useful marker for attentional control impairment and the development of posttrauma symptoms. This study reports 2 experiments investigating threat-related attention biases, mood and anxiety symptoms, and attention-bias variability following trauma. Experiment 1 included 3 groups in a cross-sectional design: (a) PTSD, (b) trauma-exposed without PTSD, and (c) healthy controls with no trauma or Axis I diagnoses. Greater attention-bias variability was found in the PTSD group compared to the other 2 groups (η(p)2=.23); attention-bias variability was significantly and positively correlated (r = .37) with PTSD symptoms. Experiment 2 evaluated combat-exposed and nonexposed soldiers before and during deployment. Attention-bias variability did not differentiate groups before deployment, but did differentiate groups during deployment (ηp2=.16); increased variability was observed in groups with acute posttraumatic stress symptoms and acute depression symptoms only. Attention-bias variability could be a useful marker for attentional impairment related to threat cues associated with mood and anxiety symptoms after trauma exposure.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Brian M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Iacoviello
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Gang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Rany
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Abend
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: James W
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Murrough
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Adriana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Feder
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Force, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Eyal
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fruchter
authors.affiliation: Department of Mental Health, Medical Corps, Israel Defense Force, Tel Hashomer, Israel.
authors.forename: Yoav
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Levinstein
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ilan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Wald
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Christopher R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Bailey
authors.affiliation: National Institute of Mental Health Intramural Research Program, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Pine
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, New York University School of Medicine, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Neumeister
authors.affiliation: School of Psychological Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.|Sagol School of Neuroscience, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Yair
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Bar-Haim
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.
authors.forename: Dennis S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Charney
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007406:Interview, Psychological; D007557:Israel; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel / Q000523:psychology*; D009518:New York; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D014857:Warfare; D055815:Young Adult