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Original article

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

Published Online:January 05, 2017https://doi.org/10.1024/0939-5911/a000456

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.


Die Reduzierung von alkohol-bezogenen Interpretationsverzerrungen mittels CBM-I

Zusammenfassung.Ziel: Alkoholmissbrauch und -abhängigkeit sind charakterisiert von sogenannten alkohol-bezogenen Interpretationsverzerrungen: Übermäßig trinkende Individuen haben die Neigung, mehrdeutige, potenziell alkohol-relevante Reize öfter auf alkoholbezogene als auf neutrale Weise zu interpretieren. Diese Studie untersucht, ob solche Interpretationsverzerrungen durch den Einsatz von Cognitive Bias Modification – Interpretation Training (CBM-I) reduziert werden können. Darüber hinaus wurde sowohl die Generalisierbarkeit des Trainingseffekts als auch die moderierende Rolle von exekutiven Funktionen (EF) untersucht. Methode: Es nahmen 98 junge Probanden mit riskantem Alkoholkonsum teil. Die Hälfte der Teilnehmer wurde trainiert, mehrdeutige alkoholbezogene Szenarios auf nicht-alkoholbezogene Weise zu interpretieren (neutrales CBM-I). Die andere Gruppe der Teilnehmer vervollständigte alkoholbezogene, mehrdeutige Szenarios mit offenem Ende (Kontroll-CBM-I). Um Veränderungen in Interpretationsverzerrungen zu messen, bekamen alle Teilnehmer mehrdeutige alkoholbezogene Szenarios angeboten, die jedoch noch kein Ende hatten. Die Teilnehmer hatten die Aufgabe, sich zu jedem Szenario ein Ende zu überlegen. Der Alkoholbezug dieser Endungen wurde dreimal kodiert: einmal von den Teilnehmern selbst (intern, Selbst-Kodierung) und zweimal von unabhängigen Beurteilern (extern, sowohl konservativ als auch liberal). Ergebnisse: Neutrales CBM-I, verglichen mit Kontroll-CBM-I, führte nicht zu einer Verringerung der alkoholbezogenen Interpretationsverzerrungen, wenn Interpretationsverzerrungen analysiert wurden, die extern konservativ und intern kodiert wurden. Bei der externen liberalen Kodierung zeigte sich jedoch, dass die Interpretationsverzerrungen in beiden Trainingsgruppen abnahmen. Darüber hinaus wurden keine Gruppenunterschiede bei der Interpretation mehrdeutiger alkoholbezogener Bilder während einer Signal-Entdeckungsaufgabe festgestellt. Auf der Verhaltensebene zeigte sich keine Reduktion des Alkoholkonsums in der Gruppe mit neutralem CBM-I Training. EF moderierten den Trainingseffekt nicht. Schlussfolgerungen: Das CBM-I Training führte nicht zu den erwarteten Effekten. Die Befunde legen nahe, dass weitere Forschung nötig ist, um die Mechanismen des Trainings besser zu verstehen und sein klinisches Potenzial bei riskantem Alkoholkonsum zu bestimmen.

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