Does attention bias modification training impact on task performance in the context of pain: An experimental study in healthy participants.

Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem,Tine Vervoort,Stefaan Van Damme

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0200629

Dimitri M L Van Ryckeghem, Tine Vervoort + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0200629

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Jul 18, 2018
Citations: 11	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Ghent University Hospital, University of Luxembourg

Abstract

Attention has been theorized to play a key role in the experience of pain and associated task interference. Training attention away from pain via attention bias modification (ABM) training techniques has been proposed to improve pain-related outcomes, but evidence is inconsistent. In an experimental study, we investigated the impact of a single session ABM training -using a visual probe paradigm with idiosyncratic pain words- on cold pressor test (CPT) pain experience and task interference by pain. Fifty-eight healthy volunteers were randomly assigned to an ABM training group (N = 28; attending away from pain) and a sham training group (N = 30; no training direction). At pre-training, participants performed a baseline Random-Interval-Repetition (RIR) task and the CPT. Participants reported on sensations they experienced during the baseline CPT. Relevant descriptors were integrated in the visual probe paradigm during the training phase. At post-training, participants completed the RIR task again while experiencing CPT pain. Participants also reported on the extent they attended to the pain and the intensity/unpleasantness of the pain. Results indicated that, in contrast with our hypotheses, ABM training did also not reduce task interference due to CPT pain. Furthermore, ABM training did not change self-reported attending to CPT pain. Finally, ABM training did not reduce CPT pain intensity or pain unpleasantness. Overall, the current study provides no support for the effectiveness of a single session ABM training in improving pain-related outcomes. Future research addressing the conditions under which ABM training improves or fails to improve pain-related outcomes is warranted.

Highlights

Attention plays a pivotal role in the experience of pain and its impact upon task performance [1,2,3,4]
Participants assigned to the attention bias modification (ABM) group and the sham training group did not differ in terms of age, gender, anxiety, depression, catastrophizing, stress and level of attentional control measured at baseline
The primary aim of the current study was to investigate the impact of a single ABM training session on pain-related task interference

Summary

Introduction

Attention plays a pivotal role in the experience of pain and its impact upon task performance [1,2,3,4]. Research amongst healthy volunteers and chronic pain patients has shown that attention bias toward pain-related information—i.e., the tendency to select pain information over non-pain information—increases the experience of pain [5,6] and the level of interference by pain with ongoing activities [7,8,9]. Attention bias modification training on task performance study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript

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