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Attentional bias toward threat stimuli plays a role in the onset and maintenance of anxiety disorders; changing this bias might reduce symptoms. Two research groups have now reported results of similar, very simple, computer-based attention training interventions (twice weekly for 4 weeks) for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder. Both studies were double-blind, randomized, and controlled and used validated self-report and interview-based assessments to confirm DSM-IV diagnoses and to rate symptom severity.
In the GAD study, the 29 participants looked at a computer screen displaying two neutral or threatening words, one of which was replaced by a simple probe (the letter E or F) that the participant had to rapidly i…