Cognitive Bias Modification for poststroke anxiety
Research type
Research Study
Full title
A Preliminary Investigation of Effectiveness of Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretative Biases in the Treatment of PostStroke Anxiety
IRAS ID
131672
Contact name
Hilary Davison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Newcastle
Research summary
Anxiety after stroke is a common problem which can have a negative impact on patient’s recovery. Anxious people often have negative interpretations of ambiguous situations that can contribute to their anxiety. This study will test the effect of a program delivered via computer to reduce these negative interpretations of ambiguous situations and anxiety in patients after stroke. Participants with anxiety after stroke will complete a measure of anxiety and also a test of possible positive or negative interpretations of ambiguous scenarios. In this test, they will read a number of ambiguous passages and will rate positive and negative interpretations of these scenarios. Then, participants in the Experimental group will complete a Cognitive Bias Modification for interpretation bias, CBMI program via computer. In this task, participants will read a series (up to 30) of ambiguous passages presented on the computer screen and each passage ends in a word fragment such as fri--d-y. Participants’ task is to key the first missing letter (e.g. ‘e’) which would always disambiguate the passage in a positive way (friendly). This is called the CBMI positive training. In the Control groups, the passages will be identical to those used in the CBMI positive training but the only difference is that the final word resolves the passage in a neutral rather than in a positive way. Participants are instructed to imagine themselves in the situation while reading each passage as if they were actually there. We expect patients with stroke to complete the CBMI tasks between 20-40 minutes. In the end participants will complete the baseline measures. We will not refrain participants from any treatment for their anxiety.
REC name
East of England - Cambridgeshire and Hertfordshire Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/EE/0196
Date of REC Opinion
29 Aug 2013
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion