A single-case series investigation of the efficacy of an internet delivered multi-session cognitive bias modification – interpretation task in a population with clinical levels of panic symptomatology.

Cognitive bias modification for interpretation bias (CBM-I) has been shown to successfully modify interpretative biases across psychological presentations including social anxiety, generalised anxiety and depression. Despite the role catastrophic misinterpretations of bodily sensations are thought to maintain with panic disorder, to date no study has sought to explore the efficacy of CBM-I with individuals with clinical levels of panic symptomatology. Six individuals (19 to 53 years old) with clinical levels of panic symptomatology, as measured by the panic disorder severity scale, completed an internet administered seven session CBM-I training programme at home. A single-case series design was adopted in order to investigate the efficacy of the CBM-I training programme. Participants were randomised to a seven, nine or eleven day baseline control phase. Daily measures and outcome measures were completed. Visual analysis revealed that four of the six participants responded to the CBM-I training programme. Three participants made clinically significant and reliable change on a measure of panic, whilst four participants made significantly reliable change on a measure of anxiety sensitivity. Interpretation bias was assessed using the ranking and believability tasks of the Brief Body Sensations Interpretation Questionnaire. Four of the six participants showed a significant change in interpretation bias on the ranking task, whilst only two participants showed a change in interpretation bias in the expected direction on the believability task. The results indicate the potential clinical utility of CBM-I in reducing levels of panic symptomatology. These results need to be interpreted with caution due to the small sample size. Future areas for research are considered, with the potential for CBM-I to serve a preventative, as well as a therapeutic, function discussed.

Name dc:type.qualificationname

other

Level dc:type.qualificationlevel

doctoral

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

University of East Anglia

Year dc:date.issued

2014

Author dc:creator

• Hampson, James

Language dc:language

en