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Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research 1/2015

01-02-2015 | Original Article

A Randomised Controlled Study of the Effects of the Attention Training Technique on Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Emotional Attention Set Shifting and Flexibility

Auteurs: Sheila Callinan, Dan Johnson, Adrian Wells

Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research | Uitgave 1/2015

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Abstract

Attention Training (ATT) is a technique used in metacognitive therapy but it has also been shown to produce stand-alone effects. The present study replicates and extends an earlier study of the effects of ATT on traumatic-stress symptoms. A sample of 60 university students who reported a traumatic life event were randomly assigned to either an ATT group (n = 29) or a control group (n = 31). They were exposed to a recorded narrative of their stressful experience before and after the intervention and the primary outcomes were frequency of intrusions and negative affect reported. Secondary outcomes included self-report and performance-based measures of attention flexibility. ATT significantly reduced intrusions and improved negative affect in individuals who had experienced a stressful life event. The technique also appeared to reduce self-focused attention, increase attention flexibility and modified performance on an emotional attention set shifting task. The results suggest that ATT can be beneficial in reducing specific traumatic stress symptoms.
Voetnoten
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This score was sufficient in the pilot study (Nassif and Wells 2014) and was introduced to avoid possible floor effects so that the impact of ATT could be observed on symptoms.
 
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Metagegevens
Titel
A Randomised Controlled Study of the Effects of the Attention Training Technique on Traumatic Stress Symptoms, Emotional Attention Set Shifting and Flexibility
Auteurs
Sheila Callinan
Dan Johnson
Adrian Wells
Publicatiedatum
01-02-2015
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Cognitive Therapy and Research / Uitgave 1/2015
Print ISSN: 0147-5916
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2819
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-014-9634-8

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