Attentional biases in body dysmorphic disorder (BDD): Eye-tracking using the emotional Stroop task.
Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is characterised by repetitive behaviours and/or mental acts occurring in response to preoccupations with perceived defects or flaws in physical appearance. This study aimed to examine attentional biases in BDD via the emotional Stroop task with two modifications: i) incorporating an eye-tracking paradigm, and ii) employing an obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) control group.



Twenty-one BDD, 19 OCD and 21 HC participants, who were age-, sex-, and IQ-matched, were included. A card version of the emotional Stroop task was employed based on seven 10-word lists: (i) BDD-positive, (ii) BDD-negative, (iii) OCD-checking, (iv) OCD-washing, (v) general positive, (vi) general threat, and (vii) neutral (as baseline). Participants were asked to read aloud words and word colours consecutively, thereby yielding accuracy and latency scores. Eye-tracking parameters were also measured.



Participants with BDD exhibited significant Stroop interference for BDD-negative words relative to HC participants, as shown by extended colour-naming latencies. In contrast, the OCD group did not exhibit Stroop interference for OCD-related nor general threat words. Only mild eye-tracking anomalies were uncovered in clinical groups. Inspection of individual scanning styles and fixation heat maps however revealed that viewing strategies adopted by clinical groups were generally disorganised, with avoidance of certain disorder-relevant words and considerable visual attention devoted to non-salient card regions.



The operation of attentional biases to negative disorder-specific words was corroborated in BDD. Future replication studies using other paradigms are vital, given potential ambiguities inherent in emotional Stroop task interpretation.
Departments of Psychological Sciences and Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre, Swinburne University, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia; Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Level 4, 607 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia. Electronic address: wtoh@swin.edu.au.
Wei Lin
WL
Toh
Departments of Psychological Sciences and Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Mental Health, PO Box 2900, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia.
David J
DJ
Castle
Departments of Psychological Sciences and Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia; Brain and Psychological Sciences Research Centre, Swinburne University, PO Box 218, Hawthorn, VIC 3122, Australia; Cognitive Neuropsychiatry, Monash Alfred Psychiatry Research Centre, Level 4, 607 St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, VIC 3004, Australia; Department of Psychiatry, St. Vincent's Mental Health, PO Box 2900, Fitzroy, VIC 3065, Australia.
Susan L
SL
Rossell
D000328:Adult; D000070379:Attentional Bias / Q000502:physiology*; D057215:Body Dysmorphic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009771:Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D011897:Random Allocation; D057190:Stroop Test