Goal of this study is to investigate whether re-training of an attentional bias for alcohol, decreases the attentional bias for alcoholic stimuli, and whether a re-training the automatic approach bias for alcoholic stimuli decreases this cognitive…
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
Synonym
Health condition
alcoholisme
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
We hypothesize that the attentional bias training will mainly affect the
attentional bias for alcohol, which will be measured both with the task used
during the training (Stroop), and with scores on another task to assess
attentional bias (Flicker task). Accordingly, it is expected that training the
automatic action tendencies will mainly affect the automatic approach bias,
which will be measured with the same test as used during the training (ATT) and
with another computer task (SRC). Further, we investigate whether there are
cross over effect for both varieties of training (whether attentional bias
training also changes automatic action tendencies and vice versa).
Generalization will always be studied within the task (comparing stimuli which
were presented in during the training with stimuli that have not been presented
during the training) and between tasks (comparing the task which is trained
versus the task which has not been trained). Next to these effects of the
training on automatic processes, we will also measure several clinically
relevant variables, such as: craving, motivation to change the addictive
behavior, self-efficacy and risk of relapse. In order to measure craving,
questionnaires will be used, and relapse risk will be calculated with the aid
of interviews and information from the treating clinicians.
Secondary outcome
craving (AAAQ).
Background summary
Studies on processes involved in addiction problems, have shown that patients
diagnosed with alcohol dependence demonstrate several relatively automatic or
implicit reactions to alcoholic stimuli. Two examples of such processes are an
attentional bias for alcoholic stimuli and an automatic tendency to approach
alcoholic stimuli. Both processes are largely automatic, and appear to play an
important role in the maintenance of addiction. Recent studies have
demonstrated that both biases can be influenced through different forms of
(re-)training. In non-clinical samples both forms of training showed an effect
on the automatic responses to alcoholic stimuli as well as on craving for
alcohol. Pilots with clinical samples have also found positive effects of these
different forms of training. This study will test several forms of training in
a clinical population of alcohol dependent individuals in multiple clinics.
Study objective
Goal of this study is to investigate whether re-training of an attentional bias
for alcohol, decreases the attentional bias for alcoholic stimuli, and whether
a re-training the automatic approach bias for alcoholic stimuli decreases this
cognitive bias. Further, this study will investigate whether the effects of
each training are specific for each bias, or if the training of attentional
bias will also effect the approach bias and vice versa. Finally, we will also
study the effects of both varieties of training on several clinically relevant
variables, such as relapse, craving and motivation to change drinking
behaviour.
Study design
This study is designed as a Randomized Controlled Trial with 6 different
groups. One of these groups will receive an attentional-training, 3 groups will
receive different versions of the automatic approach training, the fifth group
receives a control training and group 6 will serve as a waiting list condition
(one month) after which participants in this group will be allocated to group 1
(attentional training). All trainings contain of one screening measurement, 4
training sessions, one measurement after the final training session, and a
follow-up period of 3 months.
Intervention
Participants are allocated to one of the training varieties, either focussing
on an attentional bias or on an approach bias or to a placebo-training. These
different forms of training consist of computer tasks in which alcohol related
en neutral stimuli are presented, to which participants have to respond. In the
attentional training the participant learns to steer their attention away from
the alcoholic stimuli, and during the automatic approach training or action
tendency training (ATT), participants learn to push alcohol away (training an
avoidance response instead of an approach response). In one of the varieties of
the action tendency training, the participant is instructed to respond to the
relevant features of the presented stimuli (push alcohol pictures away), in the
other varieties and in the placebo-control condition they are instructed to
respond to an irrelevant feature of the presented pictures (for example; pull
all the pictures presented in landscape format toward you, and push all
pictures presented in portrait format away). The automatic tendency from the
participants to approach alcohol will be influenced during these trainings
sessions by presenting (almost) all alcohol related pictures in the format
which is pushed away, and (almost) all soda pictures in the format which is
pulled. In the control condition the push/pull ratio for alcohol and softdrink
pictures is set at 50%.
Study burden and risks
There is no noteworthy risk involved in participation of the study.
PO Box 616
6200 MD Maastricht
Nederland
PO Box 616
6200 MD Maastricht
Nederland
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
alcoholism
Exclusion criteria
very low intellectual ability, psychotic disorders, dependence to other psychoactive substances, other than nicotine, other Axis-1 (DSM-IV) disorder which requires immediate treatment
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL21115.068.07 |