Schoenmakers - Clinical Effectiveness of ABM Training

Question 1

Main experiment/goal in Schoenmakers?

Answer 1

Training to decrease attentional bias (ABM), RCT, for alcohol-dependency (i.e., improve patients’ ability to control their attention for alcohol cues)

in addition to CBT

Question 2

General (simply) results for Schoenmakers? (3)

Answer 2

• ABM effective in increasing the ability to disengage from alcohol-related cues
• Generalized to untrained, new stimuli
• No significant effects on subjective craving

Question 3

What argument does Schoenmakers present for the use of CBM (ABM, here) in addition to CBT?

Answer 3

CBT primarly targets voluntary information processes, ignoring (potentially) disadvantageous involuntary processes

Question 4

How does the incentive sensitization theory account for attentional bias?

Schoenmakers

Answer 4

Results from repeated pairing of alcohol cues with direct effects of alcohol (leading to sensitized reaction to alcohol cues and making them salient)

Question 5

What three factors appear to increase the effectiveness of ABM?

Schoenmakers

Answer 5

1. Motivating participants to improve performance/control
2. Presentation of large number of different stimuli (for generalization)
3. Multiple training sessions (needed to affect fast attentional processes)

Question 6

How was the visual-probe task modified for the attentional bias training? (3ish)

Schoenmakers

Answer 6

Probes only replaced neutral pictures, thus consistent training to change their attentional bias for alcohol
- Speeded detection for alcohol use was targeted
- & difficulty to disengage from alcohol cues

Question 7

Specific results for ABM on speeded detection & difficulty to disengage attention from alcohol cues? (2)

Schoenmakers

Answer 7

• ABM did not influence speeded detection (significantly)
• ABM was effective in reducting the difficulty to disengage attention (note this generalized to new pictures)

Question 8

With what important factor in alcohol-dependence was difficulty to engage correlated?

Schoenmakers

Answer 8

Perceived control over drinking (increased difficulty to disengage corresponds to lower feelings of control)

Question 9

What did relapse rates look like in Schoenmakers?

Answer 9

They were not significantly different, but relapse was delayed by a month in the ABM group

they were also discharged earlier

Question 10

What may explain the lack of effect on craving?

Schoenmakers

Answer 10

Suggestment of ABM affecting the vulnerability to respond emotionally instead of affecting conscious emotional states (e.g., subjective craving)