中華心理衛生協會

 Objective: This study explored whether home-delivered attention bias modification training (HD-ABM) can improve the attention control and symptoms of patients with generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Methods: University students diagnosed with GAD were assigned to one of three groups: the HD-ABM group (n = 15, 11 women), in which the participants were asked to shift their attention to neutral stimuli after they were exposed to threatening stimuli; the placebo group (n = 15; 10 women), in which no specific training targets were employed; and the waiting group (n = 14; 9 women). Participants in the HDABM and placebo groups completed a 4-week program using an attention training mobile application that incorporated a Posner cueing task to train attention control. During the program, their cardiovascular responses were recorded using a Zoetek sports watch equipped with a photoplethysmography sensor. All participants were examined regularly in terms of their symptoms, attention bias, attention control, and cardiovascular response indicators. Results: The executive control ability of the HD-ABM and placebo groups significantly improved in the later training period, and their self-reported anxiety level and heart rate were reduced. The anxiety level and heart rate of the HD-ABM group also decreased significantly during the training period. Conclusion: This study verified that HD-ABM can help patients with GAD improve their attention control, which alleviates their attention bias and symptoms and enhances their cardiovascular response.