Emoji-based Attention Bias Modification Training for Depressive Young Adults

Summary

Globally, the rates of young adults and college students reporting symptoms of depression have been rising over the past decade. There are major obstacles being faced in mental healthcare that prevents many individuals from receiving sufficient and quality mental healthcare services. Current treatments for depression are not able to target the underlying factors causing the disorder. In addition, individuals with depressive symptoms face issues with accessibility and social stigma. Hence, there has been increasing interest in behavioural and cognitive mental health interventions with the potential for remote applications. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of using an emoji-based attention bias modification training paradigm on depressive symptom severity compared with a deep breathing practice protocol, a sham training protocol and a control group. It is expected that participants who undergo the attention bias modification training and deep breathing training paradigms will have reduced depressive symptom scores, changes in attention bias indices, and changes in event-related potential component measures compared to participants who did not undergo the interventions.

Conditions

• Depressive Symptoms
• Mood Disorders

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Attention Bias Modification

Attention bias modification (ABM) is a procedure for treatment of depression, with the intention of supplementing cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) or as a treatment on its own. ABM procedures modify attention biases in emotional disorders, resulting in subjects learning to deploy their attention toward the more positive stimuli (Jonassen et al., 2018). A computerized attention bias modification intervention for depression involves repeatedly redirecting the attention of the subject away from emotionally relevant threat cues, and towards neutral (non-threatening) stimuli (Amir et al., 2009). The location of the probe will replace the relatively positive stimulus in the pair with 100% probability.

BEHAVIORAL

Deep-breathing training

In most deep breathing studies, participants are required to alter their breathing pattern to a specific frequency for a specific duration of time. In the present study, participants will be required to perform deep-breathing at a rate of 6 breaths per minute for 9 minutes.

BEHAVIORAL

Sham Training

This condition is identical to the Attention Bias Modification condition with the except of the location of the probe, which replaces the positive, negative, and neutral stimuli with equal probability. This control procedure is not expected to modify any underlying biases present.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Universiti Tunku Abdul Rahman

  lead OTHER

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

SINGLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

30 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2022-07-31

Primary Completion

2023-07-31

Completion

2024-09-30