Neutral and Positive Attention Bias Modification Training for Young Adults With Depressive Symptoms

This study intends to explore the therapeutic effects of the development of negative attention bias modifaction and positive attention bias on depressive symptoms and redundancy through two different attention training methods: (1) neutral attention training (when neutral and sad stimuli are presented simultaneously, attention is always directed towards neutral stimuli to correct negative attention bias) and (2) positive attention training (when neutral and positive stimuli are presented simultaneously, attention is always directed towards positive stimuli to develop positive attention bias).

Attention Bias Modification Training was a modified dot-probe task. In the neutral attention bias, 90% of the targets in the training group appear in the neutral word position and 10% of the targets appear in the negative word position, while 50% of the targets in the placebo group appear in the neutral word position and 50% of the targets appear in the negative word position. In the positive attention bias, 90% of the targets in the training group appear in the positive word position and 10% of the targets appear in the neutral word position, while 90% of the targets in the placebo group appear in the neutral word position and 10% of the targets appear in the positive word position. The investigators assess attention bias scores, depressive symptoms, trait anxiety, rumination and self-report attention control ability at 1-week, 2-week, 4-week, 7-week, 3-month, 4-month, 5-month, 6-month and 12-month follow-ups after training.

In the neutral attention bias, there are 108 pairs of neutral-negative words, 54 pairs of which are used in the training group and 54 pairs of which are used in the placebo group. The word pairs in each group are repeated 4 times, with a total of 216 trial. Participants received 8 sessions over 2 weeks (1 session every other day).In booster ABMT, participants received 4 sessions over 2 weeks (1 session every three days).90% of the targets in the training group appear in the neutral word position and 10% of the targets appear in the negative word position, while 50% of the targets in the placebo group appear in the neutral word position and 50% of the targets appear in the negative word position.

In the positive attention bias, there are 54 pairs of neutral-negative words, 27 pairs of which are used in the training group and 27 pairs of which are used in the placebo group. The word pairs in each group are repeated 8 times, with a total of 216 trial.Participants received 8 sessions over 2 weeks (1 session every other day). In booster ABMT, participants received 4 sessions over 2 weeks (1 session every three days).90% of the targets in the training group appear in the positive word position and 10% of the targets appear in the neutral word position, while 90% of the targets in the placebo group appear in the neutral word position and 10% of the targets appear in the positive word position.

pre-training, post-training(2 weeks after pre-training), follow-ups(1-week,2-week,4-week,7-week,3-month( booster pre-training), 4-month (booster post-training), 5-month,6-month,12-month after post-training)

Depression symptoms tested by clinicians using the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children (K-SADS)

pre-training, post-training(2 weeks after pre-training), follow-ups(1-week,2-week,4-week,7-week,3-month( booster pre-training), 4-month (booster post-training), 5-month,6-month,12-month after post-training)

pre-training, post-training(2 weeks after pre-training), follow-ups(1-week,2-week,4-week,7-week,3-month( booster pre-training), 4-month (booster post-training), 5-month,6-month,12-month after post-training)

pre-training, post-training(2 weeks after pre-training), follow-ups(1-week,2-week,4-week,7-week,3-month( booster pre-training), 4-month (booster post-training), 5-month,6-month,12-month after post-training)

Inclusion Criteria: A score of 14 or higher on the Beck Depression Inventory-Ⅱ Exclusion Criteria: a current episode of MDD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia or organic mental disorder; any concurrent psychotherapy; any concurrent psychotropic medication.