- Project value (in PLN):
392880
finished
Attentional bias modification and depressive disorders
principal investigator / project leader
Ph.D. / Associate Professor
psychologist, specializing in determinants of wellbeing and eye-tracking research
Full bio project value: PLN 392,880
funding source: National Science Center
discipline: psychology
location: Warsaw
duration: 2012 2013 2014 2015
It is estimated that almost 10 percent of general population suffers from depression, but not everyone has access to effective treatments. Nowadays, depression is treated primarily with pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. The effectiveness of these treatments is mainly dependant on patients’ motivation and engagement in the process of healing. Therefore, research into new and more effective ways of treatment is necessary. The research project led by Izabela Krejtz, Ph.D. will study the effectiveness of attention bias modification trainings in treating depressive disorders.
Research Project
Attentional bias modification and depressive disorders
Research Unit
Grant Amount
392 880 PLN
Funding Source
Duration of Research Project: 2012–2015
It is estimated that almost 10 percent of general population suffers from depression, but not everyone has access to effective treatments. Nowadays, depression is treated primarily with pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy. The effectiveness of these treatments is mainly dependant on patients’ motivation and engagement in the process of healing. Therefore, research into new and more effective ways of treatment is necessary. The research project led by Izabela Krejtz, Ph.D. will study the effectiveness of attention bias modification trainings in treating depressive disorders.
Research objectives
The main aim of our research is to verify the basic concepts of cognitive psychopathology, which state that the attention biases are the underlying causes of depressive and anxiety disorders. The most significant cognitive theories imply that attention bias in the direction of negative stimuli, or a tendency to preferential processing of negative information, plays a central role in the development and the persistence of anxiety and depressive disorders.
Another important goal of our research is to estimate the effectiveness of attention bias modification trainings in treating depressive disorders.
The number of declining depressive symptoms will be measured with the help of a daily measure: the diary of daily events. Due to this tool, we will be able to evaluate the effectiveness of trainings in real life. In order to check the efficacy of measurement, additional tools will be used, such as questionnaires examining the levels of depression and anxiety before and after trainings and eye tracking data providing information on existing attention biases. Eye tracking will provide more objective data allowing the assessment of the level of modification generated by trainings.
The project supports research on depression and its treatment. Positive results will help to integrate trainings as a complementary tool for psychotherapeutic help for depressive patients.
Research Team
Nezlek, John
First and last name
John Nezlek
Role in the Research Center
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Specialization
social psychologist
Academic degree or title
Ph.D. / Associate Professor
Email
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Position
profesor uczelni
Role in the Institute
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Role in the Department
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Ph.D. / Associate Professor John Nezleksocial psychologist
Doctor of Medical Sciences
Paweł Holas
Psychiatrist, psychotherapist, cognitive behavioral therapy supervisor, Assisstant Professor at the Medical University of Warsaw
Marzena Rusanowska
Ph.D. candidate at the Jagiellonian University, holds M.A. Degrees in Psychology and English Studies
Publications
- Marzena Rusanowska, (2014). Attentional retraining in depressive disorders. Eye tracking research and applications symposium. Data konferencji: 26-28.03.2014, str. 381-382, miejsce wydania: ACM New York.
- Nezlek J.B., Rusanowska M., Holas P., Krejtz I. (submitted). The Factor Structure of a Polish Language Version of the Hospital Anxiety Depression Scale (HADS). Manuscript prepared for European Journal of Psychological Assessment.
- Nezlek J., Holas P., Rusanowska M., Krejtz I. (12/2015). Being present in the moment: Event-level relationships between mindfulness and stress, positivity, and importance. Personality and Individual Differences. http://dxdoi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2015.11.031.
- Szczepanik N., Szymczyk B., Rusanowska M., Holas P., Krejtz I., Nezlek J. (2015). Właściwości języka osób cierpiących na zaburzenia emocjonalne i osobowości – analiza treści opisów codziennych wydarzeń. Psychiatria i Psychoterapia.