title: A randomized controlled trial of attention modification for social anxiety disorder.
abstract: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) models implicate social threat cue vigilance (i.e., attentional biases) in symptom development and maintenance. A modified dot-probe protocol has been shown to reduce SAD symptoms, in some but not all studies, presumably by modifying an attentional bias. The current randomized controlled trial was designed to replicate and extend such research. Participants included treatment-seeking adults (n = 108; 58% women) who met diagnostic criteria for SAD. Participants were randomly assigned to a standard (i.e., control) or modified (i.e., active) dot-probe protocol condition and to participate in-lab or at home. The protocol involved twice-weekly 15-min sessions, for 4 weeks, with questionnaires completed at baseline, post-treatment, 4-month follow-up, and 8-month follow-up. Symptom reports were assessed with repeated measures mixed hierarchical modeling. There was a main effect of time from baseline to post-treatment wherein social anxiety symptoms declined significantly (p < .05) but depression and trait anxiety did not (p > .05). There were no significant interactions based on condition or participation location (ps > .05). Reductions were maintained at 8-month follow-up. Symptom reductions were not correlated with threat biases as indexed by the dot-probe task. The modified and standard protocol both produced significant sustained symptom reductions, whether administered in-lab or at home. There were no robust differences based on protocol type. As such, the mechanisms for benefits associated with modified dot-probe protocols warrant additional research.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: R Nicholas
authors.initials: RN
authors.lastname: Carleton
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Michelle J N
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Teale Sapach
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oriet
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Sophie
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Duranceau
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
authors.forename: Lisa M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Lix
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Michel A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Thibodeau
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Samantha C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Horswill
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Jordan R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Ubbens
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology University of Regina, Regina, SK, Canada.
authors.forename: Gordon J G
authors.initials: GJ
authors.lastname: Asmundson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001007:Anxiety / Q000523:psychology; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003863:Depression / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Attention modification protocol; Attentional bias; Longitudinal study; Randomized controlled trial; Social anxiety disorder