Enhancing the Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Attentional Bias Modification to Reduce Worry and Emotion Regulation Difficulties in Women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Hosseinpour, Hossein; soleymani, Esmail; Isazadegan, Ali

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Enhancing the Efficacy of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy with Attentional Bias Modification to Reduce Worry and Emotion Regulation Difficulties in Women with Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Hossein Hosseinpour

, Esmail Soleymani ^*

, Ali Isazadegan

Department of Psychology, Faculty of Literature and Humanities, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran , e.soleimani@urmia.ac.ir

Abstract: (445 Views)

Introduction: Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) is characterized by excessive and uncontrollable worry about various aspects of life. One cognitive mechanism associated with GAD is worry, which serves as an attempt to manage emotional responses. However, individuals with GAD often struggle with emotional regulation, leading to significant emotional dysregulation. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) based on intolerance of uncertainty (IU), combined with an attentional bias modification (ABM) program, in reducing worry and difficulties in emotion regulation among women with GAD. Materials and Methods: This quasi-experimental study employed a pre-test/post-test/follow-up design with a control group. The study population consisted of women with GAD in Isfahan, Iran in 2024. Using convenience sampling, 30 participants were selected and randomly assigned to either the experimental group (n=15) or the control group (n=15). Data were collected using the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS) and the Penn State Worry Questionnaire (PSWQ). Results: The combination of CBT based on IU and the ABM program led to a significant reduction in worry and emotion regulation difficulties in the experimental group, both immediately after the intervention and at the two-month follow-up. Conclusion: These findings suggest that integrating an attentional bias modification program into CBT based on intolerance of uncertainty can effectively reduce worry and improve emotional regulation in subjects with GAD.

Keywords: Psychotherapy, Psychological Distress, Therapy, Computer-Assisted

Full-Text [PDF 1424 kb] (119 Downloads)

Type of Study: Research --- Open Access, CC-BY-NC | Subject: Psycology

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