Reducing alcohol-related interpretation biases in young hazardous drinkers by Cognitive Bias Modification–Interpretation Training

Abstract

Abstract. Aims: This study examined whether alcohol-related interpretation biases (IBs) can be reduced by means of cognitive bias modification – interpretation (CBM-I) training. Also, the training’s generalization effects and the moderating role of executive control (EC) were examined. Methods: Participants were 98 young hazardous drinkers. Half of the participants were trained to interpret ambiguous alcohol-related scenarios in an alcohol-unrelated way (neutral CBM-I), the other half completed alcohol-related ambiguous open-ended scenarios (control CBM-I). Alcohol-related IBs were assessed with open-ended ambiguous alcohol-related scenarios, completed by participants. The completions were coded by participants (self-coding) and by two independent coders (conservatively and liberally). Results: Neutral CBM-I, compared to control CBM-I, did not decrease alcohol-related IBs for the conservative and self-coding. For the liberal coding, both groups showed a decrease in alcohol-related IBs pre to post training. Moreover, there were no group differences in interpreting ambiguous, alcohol-related pictures during a signal-detection task. At the behavioral level, there was no reduction in alcohol use for either group at one week follow-up. Finally, EC did not moderate training effects. Conclusions: Although CBM-I effects were largely absent; the findings emphasize that more research into the working mechanisms of alcohol CBM-I is needed to test its potential in the context of hazardous drinking.