Attention Bias Modification for Depression

Overseen By Christopher G Beevers, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Phase < 1

Sponsor: University of Texas at Austin

Must not be taking: Opioids, Corticosteroids

Disqualifiers: Suicidal behavior, Bipolar, Psychotic, Substance use, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

Duration: 4 weeks

600 Participants Needed

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to test two different Attention Bias Modification (ABM) treatments for people with depression. Researchers will compare a gamified version of ABM, delivered via a mobile app, with traditional ABM and a sham (fake) version to determine which is more effective in reducing depressive symptoms. The study will also explore the mechanisms behind these treatments and the duration of their effects. Individuals who have experienced depression symptoms, are fluent in English, and have not recently changed their medication may be suitable candidates. Participants will complete surveys, eye-tracking tasks, and interviews. As an Early Phase 1 trial, this research focuses on understanding how these innovative treatments work in people, offering participants a chance to contribute to groundbreaking mental health research.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial does not specify if you need to stop taking your current medications, but you must not have changed your antidepressant medication or dosage in the past 12 weeks to be eligible.

Is there any evidence suggesting that this trial's treatments are likely to be safe?

Studies have shown that both game-like and traditional Attention Bias Modification (ABM) treatments are generally easy for people to handle. Research indicates that just one session of the game-like ABM can effectively lower anxiety and stress without major safety concerns. In studies with adults who have depression, traditional ABM has not shown significant side effects, suggesting it is also safe to use.

Since this study is in its early phase, it primarily focuses on assessing the safety and effectiveness of the treatments. Early-phase trials involve careful monitoring to ensure participant safety. Although specific reports of safety issues have not emerged in these studies, researchers are still gathering detailed safety information due to the trial's early stage. Participants can feel reassured that early-phase trials prioritize their safety. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial's treatments?

Researchers are excited about these treatments because they offer a fresh approach to tackling depression by targeting attention biases. Unlike standard treatments like antidepressants or cognitive behavioral therapy, these methods use Attention Bias Modification (ABM) to directly alter how people with depression focus on emotional cues. The gamified ABM stands out by using a mobile app to present happy and sad stimuli, training users to focus more on positive cues in a fun, engaging way. Meanwhile, the traditional ABM offers a web-based program that helps shift attention away from negative emotions, and the sham ABM serves as a control to test the effectiveness of these new methods. This innovative approach could potentially offer a quick, accessible tool to complement traditional therapies for depression.

What evidence suggests that this trial's treatments could be effective for depression?

Research has shown that Attention Bias Modification (ABM) can reduce depression symptoms by altering focus on negative thoughts. This trial will compare different ABM methods. Participants in one arm will use Gamified ABM, which employs a mobile app with interactive features and has shown promise in improving mood by changing negative thought patterns. Another arm will involve Traditional ABM, offered online, which has also been effective in reducing negative thinking and improving brain connections related to mood. Although the results are promising, improvements have been small and varied. Overall, researchers are actively studying ABM treatments for their potential to help with depression by retraining how the brain handles emotional information. ^{1 3 6 7 8}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Christopher G Beevers, PhD

Principal Investigator

UT Austin

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for adults with symptoms of depression. Participants will be asked to fill out questionnaires, do eye-tracking tasks, and undergo interviews by clinicians. Details on specific inclusion or exclusion criteria are not provided.

Inclusion Criteria

My antidepressant medication and dose have been stable for the last 12 weeks.

Fluent in English

Provided informed consent

Exclusion Criteria

I have been diagnosed with bipolar or psychotic disorders.

I am currently taking opioids or corticosteroids.

I am currently undergoing psychotherapy.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Treatment

Participants receive either gamified, traditional, or sham ABM treatments for depression

4 weeks

Weekly sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for the durability of ABM effects on depression symptoms

24 weeks

Monthly assessments

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Gamified Attention Bias Modification
• Sham Attention Bias Modification
• Traditional Attention Bias Modification

Trial Overview The study tests two types of Attention Bias Modification (ABM) treatments: a gamified version and the traditional one, against a sham (inactive) treatment. It aims to see which ABM method is more effective at improving depression symptoms and how long the effects last.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Gamified Attention Bias Modification Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

This ABM variant will be completed on participants' mobile devices (iOS or Android). During app use, they will be presented with sad-happy stimulus pairs followed by target probes (tracing a path) always appearing at the happy stimulus location.

Group II: Traditional Attention Bias Modification Active Control 1 Intervention

This ABM variant is a web-based program delivered to participants via a computer. It presents pairs of stimuli to the right and left visual fields from two stimulus categories: sad or neutral facial expressions from the Pictures of Facial Affect (POFA) collection and dysphoric or neutral scenes from or from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS) collection.

Group III: Sham Attention Bias Modification Placebo Group 1 Intervention

Sham and traditional ABM interventions will be identical in all respects with one critical exception. For sham ABM, after stimuli offset the target will appear with equal probability (50%) in the location of the neutral or the dysphoric stimulus.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of Texas at Austin

Lead Sponsor

Trials

387

Recruited

86,100+

Arcade Therapeutics

Collaborator

Trials

1

Recruited

600+

Citations

1. reporter.nih.gov reporter.nih.gov/search/-nml8_drv0OhqaMCdFLghA/project-details/10726299

beevers, christopher g - NIH RePORTER This prior work demonstrates that active ABM engages and alters negative attention bias and there is a preliminary efficacy signal that ABM reduces depression.

2. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S155171442400380X?via%3Dihub

Efficacy of traditional and gamified attention bias ... We hypothesize that gamified and traditional ABM will lead to significantly greater reductions in self-reported and interviewer-rated depression symptoms than ...

3. clinicaltrials.gov clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06361095?term=AREA%5BConditionSearch%5D(depression)%20AND%20AREA%5BOverallStatus%5D(NOT_YET_RECRUITING)&rank=10

Confirmatory Efficacy Trial of Attention Bias Modification for ... The goal of this clinical trial is to compare the efficacy of two related, but different ABM (Attention Biased Modification) treatments for depression in adults ...

4. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39725004/

Efficacy of traditional and gamified attention bias modification ... We hypothesize that gamified and traditional ABM will lead to significantly greater reductions in self-reported and interviewer-rated depression ...

5. games.jmir.org games.jmir.org/2025/1/e65103

Testing the Effectiveness of a Gamified Emotional Cognitive ... The results demonstrated that GCBM training positively changed the participants' responses to emotional faces compared with control condition.

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4447237/

Mental Health on the Go: Effects of a Gamified Attention Bias ... Results showed that a single session of gamified ABMT effectively reduces threat bias, subjective anxiety, and stress reactivity. ... These technologies are ...

7. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0890856725014285

Gamified Attention Bias Modification Training to Augment ... Augmenting cognitive–behavioral therapy (CBT) with attention bias modification training (ABMT) may maximize therapeutic benefit for anxiety ...

8. games.jmir.org games.jmir.org/2025/1/e50635

Gamified Web-Delivered Attentional Bias Modification ... Primary outcomes included self-reported and behavioral engagement, pain intensity, and pain interference. Secondary outcomes included anxiety, ...