IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/plo/pone00/0175107.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of cognitive bias modification on social anxiety: A meta-analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Haining Liu
  • Xianwen Li
  • Buxin Han
  • Xiaoqian Liu

Abstract

Background: Cognitive bias modification (CBM), a set of techniques for modifying bias in information processing—is considered a novel intervention for social anxiety disorder (SAD), which has drawn considerable interest from researchers. However, the effects of CBM on SAD are not consistent. Some studies have demonstrated significant positive effects compared to control groups, while others have found no such effects. Aims: We conducted a meta-analysis aimed at quantitatively assessing the effects of CBM on SAD at post-test. Method: Through a systematic literature search by two independent raters, 34 articles (36 randomized studies) including 2,550 participants were identified. A multilevel modeling approach was employed to assess the effects of CBM on SAD, and to explore the potentially crucial procedures and sample characteristics that enhance the effectiveness of benign training. Results: In general, there were small but significant effects of CBM on the primary symptoms of SAD (g = 0.17), cognitive bias (CB) toward threat (g = 0.32), and reactivity in stressful situations (g = 0.25), but non-significant effects on secondary symptoms. However, the interpretation modification program was more effective than was attentional bias modification in reducing SAD primary symptoms and negative CB. Laboratory training procedures produced larger primary symptom reductions compared to Internet-based training, whereas the percentage of contingency and feedback about training performance boosted cognitive effects only. Finally, the following groups were more likely to benefit from CBM: younger participants (primary symptoms and cognitive effects), women (primary symptom effects), and samples with stronger CB (stressor effects). The quality of the randomized controlled trials was less than desirable, as there was some indication of publication bias in our study. Conclusions: Current findings broadly supported cognitive theories of SAD that consider a bidirectional or mutually reinforcing relationship between symptoms and CBs. However, the small therapeutic effect observed here indicates that it is necessary to develop more reliable and efficient CBM interventions that are specific to SAD.

Suggested Citation

  • Haining Liu & Xianwen Li & Buxin Han & Xiaoqian Liu, 2017. "Effects of cognitive bias modification on social anxiety: A meta-analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(4), pages 1-24, April.
  • Handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0175107
    DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175107
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0175107
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0175107&type=printable
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1371/journal.pone.0175107?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Sue Duval & Richard Tweedie, 2000. "Trim and Fill: A Simple Funnel-Plot–Based Method of Testing and Adjusting for Publication Bias in Meta-Analysis," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 56(2), pages 455-463, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Bryant M. Stone & John D. Lindt & Norka E. Rabinovich & David G. Gilbert, 2022. "Effects of the Gratitude Letter and Positive Attention Bias Modification on Attentional Deployment and Emotional States," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 23(1), pages 3-25, January.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Qian Li & Yan Chen & Shikun Sun & Muyuan Zhu & Jing Xue & Zihan Gao & Jinfeng Zhao & Yihe Tang, 2022. "Research on Crop Irrigation Schedules Under Deficit Irrigation—A Meta-analysis," Water Resources Management: An International Journal, Published for the European Water Resources Association (EWRA), Springer;European Water Resources Association (EWRA), vol. 36(12), pages 4799-4817, September.
    2. Bart Verkuil & Serpil Atasayi & Marc L Molendijk, 2015. "Workplace Bullying and Mental Health: A Meta-Analysis on Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Data," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 10(8), pages 1-16, August.
    3. Damiano Pizzol & Mike Trott & Igor Grabovac & Mario Antunes & Anna Claudia Colangelo & Simona Ippoliti & Cristian Petre Ilie & Anne Carrie & Nicola Veronese & Lee Smith, 2021. "Laparoscopy in Low-Income Countries: 10-Year Experience and Systematic Literature Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(11), pages 1-11, May.
    4. Wolfgang Goymann & John C. Wingfield, 2014. "Male-to-female testosterone ratios, dimorphism, and life history—what does it really tell us?," Behavioral Ecology, International Society for Behavioral Ecology, vol. 25(4), pages 685-699.
    5. Alderotti, Giammarco & Rapallini, Chiara & Traverso, Silvio, 2023. "The Big Five personality traits and earnings: A meta-analysis," Journal of Economic Psychology, Elsevier, vol. 94(C).
    6. Ünal, Zehra E. & Kartal, Gamze & Ulusoy, Serra & Ala, Aslı M. & Yilmaz, Munube & Geary, David C., 2023. "Relative contributions of g and basic domain-specific mathematics skills to complex mathematics competencies," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 101(C).
    7. Daniele Zago & Maria Eugênia Andrighetto Canozzi & Júlio Otávio Jardim Barcellos, 2020. "Pregnant beef cow’s nutrition and its effects on postnatal weight and carcass quality of their progeny," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(8), pages 1-20, August.
    8. Viktoria Maria Baumeister & Leonie Petra Kuen & Maike Bruckes & Gerhard Schewe, 2021. "The Relationship of Work-Related ICT Use With Well-being, Incorporating the Role of Resources and Demands: A Meta-Analysis," SAGE Open, , vol. 11(4), pages 21582440211, November.
    9. Gundula Krack, 2019. "How to make value-based health insurance designs more effective? A systematic review and meta-analysis," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 20(6), pages 841-856, August.
    10. Angélica Pigola & Priscila Rezende Costa, 2022. "In search of understanding about knowledge and learning on innovation performance," Scientometrics, Springer;Akadémiai Kiadó, vol. 127(7), pages 3995-4022, July.
    11. Christopher Snyder & Ran Zhuo, 2018. "Sniff Tests as a Screen in the Publication Process: Throwing out the Wheat with the Chaff," NBER Working Papers 25058, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    12. Chuang Yuan & Jing Wang & Michael Ying, 2016. "Predictive Value of Carotid Distensibility Coefficient for Cardiovascular Diseases and All-Cause Mortality: A Meta-Analysis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 11(4), pages 1-15, April.
    13. Francisco Javier Blanco-Encomienda & Rocío García-Cantero & María José Latorre-Medina, 2020. "Association between Work-Related Rumination, Work Environment and Employee Well-Being: A Meta-Analytic Study of Main and Moderator Effects," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 150(3), pages 887-910, August.
    14. Pedro L. Cosio & Manuel Crespo-Posadas & Álvaro Velarde-Sotres & Mireia Pelaez, 2021. "Effect of Chronic Resistance Training on Circulating Irisin: Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-16, March.
    15. Augusteijn, Hilde Elisabeth Maria & van Aert, Robbie Cornelis Maria & van Assen, Marcel A. L. M., 2021. "Posterior Probabilities of Effect Sizes and Heterogeneity in Meta-Analysis: An Intuitive Approach of Dealing with Publication Bias," OSF Preprints avkgj, Center for Open Science.
    16. Sesha Kethineni & Susan Frazier‐Kouassi & Yuki Shigemoto & Wesley Jennings & Stephanie M. Cardwell & Alex R. Piquero & Kimberly Gay & Dayanand Sundaravadivelu, 2021. "PROTOCOL: Effectiveness of parent‐engagement programs to reduce truancy and juvenile delinquency: A systematic review," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 17(3), September.
    17. Charlotte E. Gill & Jordan Hyatt & Lawrence W. Sherman, 2010. "PROTOCOL: Probation Intensity Effects on Probationers' Criminal Conduct," Campbell Systematic Reviews, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 6(1), pages 1-25.
    18. Ritchwood, Tiarney D. & Ford, Haley & DeCoster, Jamie & Sutton, Marnie & Lochman, John E., 2015. "Risky sexual behavior and substance use among adolescents: A meta-analysis," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 74-88.
    19. Georgiou, George K. & Guo, Kan & Naveenkumar, Nithya & Vieira, Ana Paula Alves & Das, J.P., 2020. "PASS theory of intelligence and academic achievement: A meta-analytic review," Intelligence, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    20. Jonas Moss & Riccardo De Bin, 2023. "Modelling publication bias and p‐hacking," Biometrics, The International Biometric Society, vol. 79(1), pages 319-331, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:plo:pone00:0175107. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: plosone (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://journals.plos.org/plosone/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.