Can the Attention Training Technique Reduce Stress in Students? A Controlled Study of Stress Appraisals and Meta-Worry

Myhr, Peter; Hursti, Timo; Emanuelsson, Katarina; Löfgren, Elina; Hjemdal, Odin

doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01532

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 19 publications

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“…To date, we are only aware of two RCT studies evaluating the effectiveness of ATT in groups. One conducted in stressed students reported a significant decrease in stress (Myhr et al, 2019 ) and another study among students reported a significant decrease in symptoms of anxiety and depression (Haukaas et al, 2018 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Attention Training Technique Reduces Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: A Pilot Feasibility Study

et al. 2022

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Background and ObjectivesDepression and anxiety symptoms are highly prevalent in coronary heart disease (CHD) patients and associated with poor outcome. Most psychological treatments have shown limited effectiveness on anxiety and depression in these patients. This study evaluates the feasibility of the attention training technique (ATT) in CHD patients with symptoms of anxiety and/or depression.MethodsFive consecutive CHD patients with significant depression and anxiety symptoms with Hospital Anxiety and Depression rating scale (HADS) -anxiety or -depression subscale score > 8 received 6 weekly group-sessions of ATT in an open trial. Outcomes included feasibility and symptoms measured by HADS, at baseline, post-treatment and at 6 months follow-up. We also assessed psychiatric diagnoses, type D personality, insomnia, worry, and rumination.ResultsThe sample comprised five men with a mean age of 59.9 (SD 4.4) years. Four of the patients attended all six sessions, and one patient attended all but one session. Mean HADS-A scores at baseline, post-treatment, and follow-up were 9.4 (SD 3.0), 4.2 (SD 3.0), and 4.0 (SD 2.5), and for HADS-D 8.6 (SD 3.3), 3.0 (SD 3.7), and 1.6 (SD 1.5), respectively. The results showed clinically significant changes in anxiety, depression, psychiatric disorders, insomnia, worry, and rumination. Statistically significant changes were found from pre- to post-treatment scores for HADS-A and worry, which were maintained at follow-up, and HADS-D scores significantly decreased from pre-treatment to 6-months follow-up.ConclusionsATT in a group format appears to be a feasible stand-alone metacognitive treatment for CHD patients. An adequately powered randomized controlled trial is warranted.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Attention Training Technique Reduces Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: A Pilot Feasibility Study

et al. 2022

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“…However, when an individual is faced with stressful situations beyond their psychological capacity, it is difficult to make effective adjustment, resulting in negative emotions such as anxiety and depression. These in turn have adverse effects on cognitive functions such as attention and hinder the completion of tasks ( Myhr et al, 2019 ). Working memory, as a cognitive resource with limited capacity, is more vulnerable to such effects ( Matthews and Campbell, 2010 ; Lukasik et al, 2019 ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The Relationship Among Trait Mindfulness, Attention, and Working Memory in Junior School Students Under Different Stressful Situations

Yang

Yan

et al. 2021

Front. Psychol.

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Attention and working memory are important cognitive functions that affect junior school students’ learning ability and academic performance. This study aimed to explore the relationships among trait mindfulness, attention, and working memory and to explore differences in performance between a high trait mindfulness group and a low one in attention and working memory under different stressful situations. In study 1, 216 junior school students completed the Five Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire (FFMQ), and their attention and working memory were tested in a non-pressure situation. The results showed that attention had a partial mediating effect between mindfulness and working memory. In study 2, the high trait mindfulness group and the low one were tested for attention and working memory under situations with single and multiple pressures. One notable result was that the attention and working memory performances of the high mindfulness group were all significantly higher than those of the low mindfulness group in every stress situation (no stress, single stress, and multiple stresses). Other important results were that trait mindfulness moderates the relationship between stress and attention and between stress and working memory. These results suggest that trait mindfulness has a protective effect in the process by which various stresses affect attention and working memory. These findings indicate that trait mindfulness is an important psychological quality that affects the attention and working memory of junior school students, and it is also an important psychological resource for effectively coping with the impact of stress on attention and working memory. Therefore, it is possible that improving trait mindfulness may help to improve junior school students’ attention and working memory and enable them to cope better with stress, thereby helping to improve academic performance. This research is of great significance for understanding the association between key psychological qualities and cognitive functions in different stressful situations. These findings also provide insight for future studies in educational psychology.

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“…The procedure was established as the Attention Training Technique (ATT; Wells, 2000). ATT was reported to be effective in reducing depression and anxiety (Fergus et al, 2014; Knowles et al, 2016; Papageorgiou & Wells, 2000) and perceived stress (Myhr et al, 2019). However, it is unclear how selection, switching, and divided attention skills contribute to efficacy.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Self-Reported Attention Control Skills Moderate the Effect of Self-Focused Attention on Depression

Ishikawa

Koshikawa

2021

Sage Open

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This study aimed to examine whether attention control skills (selective, switching, and divided attention) moderate the influence of self-preoccupation (the tendency to maintain self-focused attention) on depression. We conducted a cross-sectional survey at a Japanese university. A total of 283 undergraduate and graduate students answered Preoccupation Scale (measuring self-preoccupation), Voluntary Attention Control Scale (measuring self-reported attention control skills), and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (the standardized measurement of depression), and we analyzed 267 questionnaires (101 men and 166 women). No cut-off points were set for screening individuals depression score. The results of the hierarchical multiple regression analysis were as follows: Higher skills of switching attention were associated with higher depression scores when combined with greater self-preoccupation tendencies. In contrast, higher levels of divided attention skill were associated with lower depression levels when combined with greater self-preoccupation. This study is the first to provide an overview of the protective role of divided attention skill against depression among individuals with high self-preoccupation. We conclude this article by showing that the interventions aiming to increase the divided attention skill rather than switching skill are expected to be effective in decreasing depressive symptoms and discussing the study’s limitations.

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Can the Attention Training Technique Reduce Stress in Students? A Controlled Study of Stress Appraisals and Meta-Worry

Cited by 14 publications

References 19 publications

The Attention Training Technique Reduces Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: A Pilot Feasibility Study

The Attention Training Technique Reduces Anxiety and Depression in Patients With Coronary Heart Disease: A Pilot Feasibility Study

The Relationship Among Trait Mindfulness, Attention, and Working Memory in Junior School Students Under Different Stressful Situations

Self-Reported Attention Control Skills Moderate the Effect of Self-Focused Attention on Depression

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