Attention Training for Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Summary

Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) has high prelevance (up to 8.5%; Roy-Byrne \& Wagner, 2004) and leads to functional impairment (Wittchen et al., 2002; Ballenger et al., 2001). Researchers have demonstrated a relationship between attention bias to threatening information and GAD. However, this knowledge has not yet been translated into effective treatments. The goal of this project is develop and test a new computerized treatment for Generalized Anxiety Disorder.

Conditions

• Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

AMP

The AMP is a computer-delivered attention modification protocol designed to enhance attention disengagement from threatening stimuli. The AMP protocol includes twelve 20-min sessions delivered over a 6-week period. During each session, participants will see 240 trials consisting of the various combinations of probe type (E or F), probe position (top or bottom), and word type (Neutral or Threat). 192 trials include one neutral word and one threat word: 2 (probe type) X 2 (probe position) X 2 (repetitions) X 24 (word pairs). On trials where participants see one neutral word and one threat word (i.e., 80% of the trials), the probe always follows the neutral word.

BEHAVIORAL

Applied Relaxation (AR)

Applied Relaxation (AR) is a behavioral, skills-based intervention where individuals learn ways to reduce the physiological cues associated with anxiety and worry (Öst, 1987; Siev \& Chambless, 2007)

BEHAVIORAL

Clinical Monitoring (CM)

participants assigned to the clinical monitoring (CM) condition will receive the same information about the nature of GAD provided to participants in the active conditions

BEHAVIORAL

Combining the AMP and AR

The AMP is a computer-delivered attention modification protocol designed to enhance attention disengagement from threatening stimuli. The AMP protocol includes twelve 20-min sessions delivered over a 6-week period. During each session, participants will see 240 trials consisting of the various combinations of probe type (E or F), probe position (top or bottom), and word type (Neutral or Threat). 192 trials include one neutral word and one threat word: 2 (probe type) X 2 (probe position) X 2 (repetitions) X 24 (word pairs). On trials where participants see one neutral word and one threat word (i.e., 80% of the trials), the probe always follows the neutral word. Applied Relaxation (AR) is a behavioral, skills-based intervention where individuals learn ways

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)

  collaborator NIH

• San Diego State University

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Nader Amir, Ph.D. · San Diego State University

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

65 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2007-12-31

Primary Completion

2016-06-30

Completion

2016-06-30

Countries

• United States

Study Locations