Efficacy and Mechanisms of Mobile-Delivered Alcohol Attentional Bias Modification

Efficacy and Mechanisms of Mobile-Delivered Alcohol Attentional Bias Modification

This study evaluates the efficacy as well as psychological and neurobiological mechanisms of mobile-delivered alcohol attentional bias modification among heavy drinking adults.

By testing the efficacy and neurobiological mechanisms of behavior change (MOBC) following attentional bias modification among heavy drinking adults, the proposed study has the potential to unify dual process models and neurobiological models of addiction. The cognitive retraining will be delivered via mobile electronic devices to ensure the cost-effectiveness of these procedures, to allow a large amount of retraining to be delivered in an ecologically valid manner, and to facilitate broad dissemination of such procedures if found to be efficacious. Using an intensive longitudinal experimental design, subjects will be randomly assigned into one of 2 groups (attentional bias modification vs. attentional bias control). Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) data will be used to assess changes in cognitive and behavioral measures in situ, and functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) scans before and after cognitive retraining will be used to examine neural changes in specific regions of interest (ROI).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test greater than or equal to 8
• right-handed

Exclusion Criteria:

• history of treatment for or diagnosis of alcohol use disorder/substance use disorder
• history of brain injury
• for females, currently pregnant
• any MRI safety contraindication