Clinical Trials Logo

Clinical Trial Summary

The development of easily disseminated and efficacious treatment of psychiatric disorder is an important goal for translational neuroscience research. To that end, Attention Bias Modification Treatment (ABMT), a novel intervention targeting threat-related attention biases, has been shown to reduce anxiety in adults. To date, only one RCT study examined whether ABMT reduces clinical anxiety in children {Eldar, 2012 #32}, and no study has examined whether ABMT augments the efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Treatment (CBT), the treatment of choice for anxiety disorders. Studying this question in youth is particularly important given that the onset of most anxiety disorders is during childhood, and early interventions may reduce long-term affliction. The current study is the first randomized control trial designed to examine the augmenting effects of ABMT on CBT among clinically anxious youth.

The purpose of Attention Bias Modification Therapy (ABMT) is to implicitly shape anxiety-related biases in attention orienting. ABMT uses the dot-probe task as a therapeutic tool. During training, the target location is systematically manipulated to increase the proportion of targets appearing at the location opposite the patient's bias. For example, in a training protocol intended to reduce threat bias, targets would appear more frequently at locations of neutral than threat stimuli.

Although CBT is an effective treatment for anxiety disorders, combining it with other treatment such as ABMT could result in additional treatment effects. CBT and ABMT are two interventions targeting different aspects of anxiety and therefore could potentially complement one another. While CBT modifies explicit and voluntary attention through verbal intervention, ABMT alters implicit and involuntary attentional biases. If ABMT augments CBT, the integration of the two treatments can have few significant benefits: First, it will combine the explicit learning of CBT with the implicit learning of ABMT and by that reduce the number of patients who respond poorly to CBT or do not respond at all. Second, computer-based training of attention may be more acceptable than traditional in-person therapy formats for some children and adolescents and can raise the cooperation in therapy. Finally, the CBT setting and the therapist presence can help to insure that ABMT is delivered consistently

The current study was designed to examine the ABMT augmentation effects on CBT for children with anxiety disorders. This study is the first randomized control trial in clinically anxious youth. Participants were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: 1. Training condition (CBT+ABMT), 2. Placebo condition (CBT+ ABMT-Placebo) 3. Control condition (CBT alone). We hypothesize that participants in the training condition will show the greatest improvement in anxiety symptoms.


Clinical Trial Description

n/a


Study Design

Allocation: Randomized, Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment, Masking: Double Blind (Subject, Caregiver, Outcomes Assessor), Primary Purpose: Treatment


Related Conditions & MeSH terms


NCT number NCT01730625
Study type Interventional
Source Tel Aviv University
Contact
Status Completed
Phase N/A
Start date October 2010
Completion date July 2012

See also
  Status Clinical Trial Phase
Recruiting NCT06038721 - Unified Protocol: Community Connections N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT03224845 - Courageous Parents, Courageous Children N/A
Completed NCT02096783 - Scripted Sexual Health Informational Intervention in Improving Sexual Function in Patients With Gynecologic Cancer N/A
Completed NCT02145429 - Preventing Depression in Late Life: A Model for Low and Middle Income Countries N/A
Completed NCT00794456 - Association of Passiflora Incarnata L; Crataegus Oxyacantha L and Salix Alba L. on Mild and Moderate Anxiety Phase 3
Terminated NCT00896467 - Psychological and Emotional Impact in Patients Undergoing Treatment For Metastatic Cancer Either in a Clinical Trial or as Standard Off-Trial Therapy N/A
Completed NCT00252343 - Efficacy and Safety of SR58611A in Patients With a Generalized Anxiety Disorder Phase 3
Not yet recruiting NCT05867823 - OcupApp: Occupational Self-analysis Intervention Through an Mobile Application N/A
Recruiting NCT04562324 - Efficacy of Electroencephalography (EEG) Neurofeedback (NF) for the Treatment of Anxiety Disorder N/A
Recruiting NCT05989451 - Adaptation of Individual Dialectical Behavior Therapy Intervention for Transdiagnostic Treatment of Emotional Disorders N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT05488418 - Clinical Study of Biomarkers of Stress Resilience: Role of ELK1 and GPR56 N/A
Not yet recruiting NCT03608449 - Doing More With Less": Optimizing Psychotherapeutic Services in the Mental Health System N/A
Completed NCT03400397 - An Effectiveness Study of the Cool Kids Programme N/A
Completed NCT00025844 - Fear Conditioning Using Computer-Generated Virtual Reality N/A
Completed NCT02579928 - Ketamine Infusion for Adolescent Depression and Anxiety Phase 4
Completed NCT02270073 - The Process Outcome Mindfulness Effects in Trainees (PrOMET)-Study N/A
Terminated NCT03764644 - Web-based Attention Bias Modification Treatment for Childhood Anxiety Disorders N/A
Completed NCT01721824 - The Effect of IPS-MA- A Modified Early Supported Employment Intervention for Individuals With Mood or Anxiety Disorders N/A
Completed NCT01425619 - The Effect of Medical Clowns and Topical Anesthetic Cream on Pain and Anxiety in Children Undergoing Allergy Skin Tests N/A
Completed NCT01227980 - Corticotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor 1 (CRH1) Antagonism in Anxious Alcoholics^ Phase 2