Daniel W Capron1, Norman B Schmidt2. 1. Department of Psychology, University of Southern Mississippi, Hattiesburg, MS, USA; Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA. Electronic address: daniel.capron@usm.edu. 2. Department of Psychology, Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL, USA.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety disorders contribute substantially to the overall public health burden of psychopathology. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), a fear of anxiety related sensations, is one of the few known malleable risk factors for anxiety pathology. Previous AS reduction treatments have utilized highly trained clinicians. A completely-computerized AS treatment would reduce costs and increase dissemination possibilities. Cognitive bias modification for interpretation biases (CBM-I) interventions have shown clinically significant reductions in anxiety symptoms. Another emerging literature focused on learning has shown context-shifting tasks can greatly increase learning without adding logistical burden to an intervention. The current study evaluated a CBM-I for AS that utilized a context-shifting task to deliver twice the treatment dose of extant interventions. DESIGN: Single-site randomized controlled trial. Participants completed an intervention appointment, as well as one-week and one-month follow-up assessments. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with elevated levels of AS. INTERVENTION: Single-session computer-delivered CBM-I for AS. RESULTS: Results indicate that the CBM-I for AS was successful in reducing overall AS (62% post-intervention) and these reductions were maintained through one-month post-intervention (64%). Results also revealed that individuals in the active condition reported significantly less incidents of panic responding to a physiological straw-breathing challenge and that change in interpretation bias significantly mediated the relationship between treatment condition and post-treatment AS reductions. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the results show that the current CBM-I intervention was strong in terms of immediate and one-month AS reductions. Given its brevity, low cost, low stigma and portability, this intervention could have substantial impact on reducing the burden of anxiety disorders.
RCT Entities:
OBJECTIVE:Anxiety disorders contribute substantially to the overall public health burden of psychopathology. Anxiety sensitivity (AS), a fear of anxiety related sensations, is one of the few known malleable risk factors for anxiety pathology. Previous AS reduction treatments have utilized highly trained clinicians. A completely-computerized AS treatment would reduce costs and increase dissemination possibilities. Cognitive bias modification for interpretation biases (CBM-I) interventions have shown clinically significant reductions in anxiety symptoms. Another emerging literature focused on learning has shown context-shifting tasks can greatly increase learning without adding logistical burden to an intervention. The current study evaluated a CBM-I for AS that utilized a context-shifting task to deliver twice the treatment dose of extant interventions. DESIGN: Single-site randomized controlled trial. Participants completed an intervention appointment, as well as one-week and one-month follow-up assessments. PARTICIPANTS: Individuals with elevated levels of AS. INTERVENTION: Single-session computer-delivered CBM-I for AS. RESULTS: Results indicate that the CBM-I for AS was successful in reducing overall AS (62% post-intervention) and these reductions were maintained through one-month post-intervention (64%). Results also revealed that individuals in the active condition reported significantly less incidents of panic responding to a physiological straw-breathing challenge and that change in interpretation bias significantly mediated the relationship between treatment condition and post-treatment AS reductions. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, the results show that the current CBM-I intervention was strong in terms of immediate and one-month AS reductions. Given its brevity, low cost, low stigma and portability, this intervention could have substantial impact on reducing the burden of anxiety disorders.
Authors: Brian J Albanese; Richard J Macatee; Joseph W Boffa; Craig J Bryan; Michael J Zvolensky; Norman B Schmidt Journal: Cognit Ther Res Date: 2018-01-19
Authors: Courtney Beard; Andrew D Peckham; Margaret L Griffin; Roger D Weiss; Nadine Taghian; R Kathryn McHugh Journal: Drug Alcohol Depend Date: 2019-10-18 Impact factor: 4.492
Authors: Brian J Albanese; Richard J Macatee; Nicholas P Allan; Nicole A Short; Aaron M Norr; Norman B Schmidt Journal: Psychiatry Date: 2018-03-22 Impact factor: 2.458
Authors: Hayley E Fitzgerald; Danielle L Hoyt; M Alexandra Kredlow; Jasper A J Smits; Norman B Schmidt; Donald Edmondson; Michael W Otto Journal: Clin Psychol (New York) Date: 2021-10-21
Authors: Ian H Stanley; Joseph W Boffa; Megan L Rogers; Melanie A Hom; Brian J Albanese; Carol Chu; Daniel W Capron; N Brad Schmidt; Thomas E Joiner Journal: J Consult Clin Psychol Date: 2018-11