Attention Bias Modification Treatment for Warzone-Related Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)

Attention Bias Modification Treatment for Warzone-Related PTSD: A Randomized Clinical Trial Magnetoencephalography Study

Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) will be randomly assigned to either Attention Bias Modification Treatment (ABMT) designed to reduce bias toward threat or a placebo control condition not designed to change attention patterns. Outcome measures will be PTSD, anxiety, depression, and alexithymia symptoms as measured by standard psychological interviews and questionnaires. Participants will also be invited to participate in physiological testing before and after receiving AMBT or placebo to serve as additional outcome measures and assess brain functioning, heart rate, and muscle tension. The investigators expect to see significant PTSD symptom reduction in the Attention Bias Modification Treatment (ABMT) group relative to the placebo control group in which no symptomatic relief is expected. At the end of the study, if ABMT is shown to be effective, we will offer active ABMT to those participants randomly assigned to the placebo arm if they would like to receive the treatment.

Attention bias modification training using a computerized spatial attention task (dot-probe) designed to alter threat-bias attention patterns away from threat.

Attention control training using a computerized spatial attention taks (dot-probe) counter balances training toward and away from threat.

Attention Bias Modification computerized training sessions administered 2 times per week for 4 weeks making a total of 8 training sessions.

Using Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS): The clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS) is a 30-item structured interview that corresponds to the DSM-IV criteria for PTSD (Blake, Weathers, Nagy, Kaloupek, Charney, & Keane, 1995) to assess symptoms of PTSD outcome.

To assess potential decrease in psychiatric symptoms associated with PTSD, by comparing pre intervention and post intervention scores on psychological measures of deprssion, anger and anxiety.

Inclusion Criteria: Veterans with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) serving in United States Military after March 20, 2003. Exclusion Criteria: Schizophrenia Bipolar Disorder Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Head Injury with Loss of Consciousness for more than 30 minutes Active Alcohol/Substance Dependence in past 6 months

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Badura-Brack AS, Naim R, Ryan TJ, Levy O, Abend R, Khanna MM, McDermott TJ, Pine DS, Bar-Haim Y. Effect of Attention Training on Attention Bias Variability and PTSD Symptoms: Randomized Controlled Trials in Israeli and U.S. Combat Veterans. Am J Psychiatry. 2015 Dec;172(12):1233-41. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2015.14121578. Epub 2015 Jul 24.