The Effect of Attentional Bias Modification Towards Food Cues on Attention of Obese Women

Subject Areas : Psychological Models and Methods

M. R Taghavi ¹ (استاد گروه روان‌شناسی بالینی، دانشگاه شیراز، شیراز، ایران)
A.R Tavoosi ² (دانشجوی کارشناسی ارشد گروه روان‌شناسی بالینی، دانشگاه شیراز.)
M. A Goudarzi ³ (استاد گروه روان‌شناسی بالینی، دانشگاه شیراز، شیراز، ایران.)

Received: 2015-06-12 Accepted : 2020-02-08 Published : 2016-11-10

Keywords: Obesity, Attentional Bias, Attentional Bias Modification, Food Stimuli, Probe Dot Task,

Abstract :

This study examined the effect of attentional bias modification related to food’s stimuli in obese women. The present study used Pretest–Posttest Design with experimental and control groups. To this end, 35 obese women, matched in two separate groups based on weight, age and education level, participated in the study. First, amount of attentional bias toward food words evaluated using probe dot task. Then, attentional bias in one group modified with probe dot task and other groupreceived aplacebo. Again,the amountof attentional biastowardsfood stimuli in groupswas assessed todeterminethe effectiveness ofattentional biasmodification task. Results: The experimental group who received attentional bias modification task, comparing with control group, showed, significantly, less attentional bias towards food cues. Conclusion: Attentional biasmodification task in obese women were able to reduce the amount of attentional bias towards food cues. Thus, cognitive therapy, beside the other treatment, could help obese woman to be treated.

References:

- Sarafraz, M.R, Taghavi, S.M.R. & Goodarzi, M.A. (2008). Theoretical foundations and construction of computerized probe dot task using real emotional photos. Research in Health Psychology, 2(1), 71-83.

- Sarafraz, M.R, Taghavi, S.M.R., Goodarzi, M.A. & Mohammadi, N. (2008). Comparison of attentional bias in adolescences suffering social anxiety and normal using attentional probe dot task. Cognitive Science News, 11(1), 56-67.

- Shafiee, H., Goodarzi, M.A. & Taghavi, M.R. (2008). Effect of children trait anxiety on attentional bias towards emotional faces. Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 14(4), 404-410.

- Kaplan, V. & Saduck, B .(2007). Summary of Psychiatry: Behavioral Sciences/ Clinical Psychiatry, The tenth edition. Translate Farzin Rezaei. (1387). Vol. II, Tenth Ed. Tehran: Arjmand Publication.

- Attwood, A. S., O'Sullivan, H., Leopards, U., Mackintosh, B. & Monaco, M. R. (2008). Attentional bias training and cue reactivity in cigarette smokers. Addiction, 103(11), 1875-1882.

- Brooks, S., Prince, A., Stahl, D., Campbell, I. C., & Treasure, J. (2011) A systematic review and meta-analysis of cognitive bias to food stimuli in people with disordered eating behavior. Clinical Psychology Review, 31(1), 37-51.

- Cassin, S. E., Von Ran Son, K. M., & White ford, S. (2008). Cognitive processing of body and appearance words as a function of thin-ideal internalization and schematic activation. Body image, 5(3), 271-278.

- Cooper, Z., & Fairburn, C. G. (2001). A new cognitive behavioral approach to the treatment of obesity. Behavior Research and Therapy, 39, 499-511.

- Dalgleish, T., Moradi, A, Taghavi, M., Neshat-Doost, H., & Yule, W. (2001). An experimental investigation of hypervigilance for threat in children and adolescents with post-traumatic stress disorder. Psychological medicine, 31(3), 541-548.

- Eysenck, M. W. (1992). Anxiety: The cognitive perspective. New York: Psychology Press.

- Faunae, G. J., & Job, R. F. (2000). The Stroop color naming task and addictive behavior: Some recommendations. Addiction, 95, 1438-1442.

- Jansen, A., Nederkoorn, C., & Mulkens, S. (2005). Selective visual attention for ugly and beautiful body parts in eating disorders. Behavior Research and Therapy, 43, 183-196.

- MacLeod, C., Mathews, A., & Tata, P. (1986). Attentional bias in emotional disorders. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 95, 15-20.

- Marcus, M. D., Levine, M. D., & Kalarchian, M. A. (2003). Cognitive- behavioral interventions in the management of severe pediatric obesity. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 10,147-156.

- Mulgrew, K. (2008). Attention and memory bias for body image and health related information using an Emotional Stroop task in a non-clinical sample. PhD Thesis in Queensland University of Technology.

- Sadeghi, kh., Gharaei, B., Fata, L., Mazhari, S. Z. (2010). Effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy in treating patients with obesity. Journal of Psychiatry and Clinical Psychology, 16(2), 107-117.

- Sharpe, L., Ianiello, M., Dear, B., Blake, F., Nicholson P., Refshauge, K. & Nicholas, M. K. (2012). Is there a potential role for attention bias modification in pain patients? Results of 2 randomized, controlled trials. Pain, 153(3), 722-31.

- Taghavi, R., Neshat-Doost, H.T., Moradi, A.R., Yule, W., & Dalgleish, T. (1999). Biases in visual attention in children and adolescents with clinical anxiety and mixed anxiety-depression. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 27, 215-223.

- Walden, T.A., Webb, V.L., Moran, C.H., & Bailer, B.A.(2012). Lifestyle modification for obesity: New developments in diet, physical activity, and behavior therapy. Circulation, 125(9), 1157-1170.

- Warrich, M.Q., Jansen, A., Milken, S., Elgersma, H.J., Ament, A.J., Hospers, H.J. (2009). Adding cognitive therapy to dietetic treatment is associated with less relapse in obesity. Journal of Psychosomatic Research, 67(4), 315-324.

- Williamson, D. A., Newton, R. L., & Walden, H. M. (2006). Obesity. In A. V. Nikcevic, A. R. Kuczmierczyk, & M. Bruch (Eds.). Formulation and treatment in clinical health psychology(pp. 42-60). New York: Rutledge.