Cognitive Bias Modification in Mental
Title
Cognitive Bias Modification in Mental
Author
Reuland, Meg M.
Steinman, Shari A.
Teachman, Bethany A.
Research Area
Psychopathology
Topic
Mental Disorder Varieties
Abstract
Cognitive biases refer to a tendency to favor a particular way of processing information, such as habitually attending to threatening information in the environment, or interpreting ambiguous information in a negative way. Importantly, cognitive biases are linked to a number of emotional problems, such as anxiety and depression, raising the question of whether altering cognitive biases could relieve the symptoms of these disorders. Cognitive bias modification (CBM) refers to a group of interventions typically delivered via computer that alter cognitive biases through repeated practice in processing information in a healthy way (e.g., learning to attend to neutral, rather than threatening, cues). Some research suggests that CBM can ameliorate symptoms of mental illness and reduce emotional vulnerability to stressors. Moreover, CBM's computerized format offers a potentially cost‐effective option for wide dissemination, which could prevent and reduce the public health burden of mental illness. At the same time, mixed research findings suggest more research is needed before CBM can be considered a frontline treatment for psychopathology. The current essay describes CBM's theoretical framework, reviews the CBM outcome literature, and explores key questions for future research, such as how CBM works, for whom it works best, and optimal delivery conditions.