Attention training normalises combat-related post-traumatic stress disorder effects on emotional Stroop performance using lexically matched word lists. Issue 8 (16th November 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Khanna, Maya M.; Badura-Brack, Amy S.; McDermott, Timothy J.; Shepherd, Alex; Heinrichs-Graham, Elizabeth; Pine, Daniel S.; Bar-Haim, Yair; Wilson, Tony W.
• Is Part Of: Cognition and emotion. Volume 30:Issue 8(2016)
• Page Start: 1521
• Page End: 1528
• Publication Date: 2016-11-16
• Subjects: PTSD -- attention training -- emotional Stroop -- lexically matched lists -- attention bias modification; Cognition -- Periodicals; Emotions and cognition -- Periodicals; 155.413
• DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2015.1076769
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0269-9931

Abstract

ABSTRACT: We examined two groups of combat veterans, one with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) ( n = 27) and another without PTSD ( n = 16), using an emotional Stroop task (EST) with word lists matched across a series of lexical variables (e.g. length, frequency, neighbourhood size, etc.). Participants with PTSD exhibited a strong EST effect (longer colour-naming latencies for combat-relevant words as compared to neutral words). Veterans without PTSD produced no such effect, t < .918, p > .37. Participants with PTSD then completed eight sessions of attention training (Attention Control Training or Attention Bias Modification Training) with a dot-probe task utilising threatening and neutral faces. After training, participants—especially those undergoing Attention Control Training—no longer produced longer colour-naming latencies for combat-related words as compared to other words, indicating normalised attention allocation processes after treatment.