Intermittent Explosive Disorder
Conditions
Brief summary
This randomized controlled trial will test a computerized cognitive bias modification program (CBM) to treat attention and interpretive biases in patients with primary aggression.
Detailed description
The objective of the proposed study is to test a computerized cognitive bias modification program (CBM) to treat attention and interpretive biases in patients with Intermittent Explosive Disorder, a disorder characterized by habitual engagement in aggressive behavior. Efficacy of the CBM program will be assessed via a small randomized controlled trial comparing CBM to a computerized control condition. This training program would consist of a four-week regimen of twice-weekly 30-minute sessions (8 sessions total) during which individuals would learn to: (a) focus attention away from threatening words toward neutral words \[attention bias\], and (b) to disambiguate ambiguous interpersonal scenarios using more benign, rather than threatening, interpretations \[interpretive bias\]. Participants will be asked to complete behavioral measures of attention bias and interpretive bias, as well as self-report measures of anger / aggression, interpretive bias, emotion regulation and life satisfaction at baseline (pre-training), post-training, and 1-month follow-up.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALCognitive Bias Modification
A four-week computerized attentional and interpretive bias modification protocol in which participants complete both ATT and ITT tasks twice per week, totaling to eight experimental sessions (see experimental arm for more detail.)
BEHAVIORALCognitive Bias Control
A four-week computerized attentional and interpretive stimuli protocol in which participants complete both ATT-C and ITT-C tasks twice per week, totaling to eight control sessions (see placebo control arm for more detail.)
Sponsors
Temple University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
DOUBLE (Subject, Outcomes Assessor)
Masking description
Participants in the control condition will see the same stimuli with a different contingency for correct vs incorrect response on the computerized training task (participant masking) Outcome assessors will not be involved in administration of the intervention and will not be informed of participant condition (outcomes assessor masking)
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 55 Years
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Meet DSM-5 criteria for current IED, as assessed via phone screen and confirmed during an in-person diagnostic interview conducted during visit one of the study * Are able and willing to cooperate with study protocol; i.e. keep appointments, read and understand consent form, etc. * Have written and verbal English proficiency for understanding consent and study materials
Exclusion criteria
* Have a lifetime history of psychosis * Have current moderate to severe substance use disorder * Have a history of bipolar disorder * Have current major depressive disorder * Are younger than 18 or older than 55 years old * Are currently (past month) receiving treatment for anger or aggression * Recently (past month) started or changed psychotropic medications
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in a Aggression from pretreatment to end of treatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up | preatment, post-treatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up. Total of 2 months | Overt Aggression Scale-Modified (higher score means more aggression) |
| Change in a Anger from pretreatment to end of treatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up | pretreatment, posttreatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up. Total of 2 months | State-Trait Anger Expression Inventory-2:state anger scale modified(higher score means more anger) |
| Change in Social Information Processing from pretreatment to end of treatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up | pretreatment, posttreatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up. Total of 2 months | Social Information Processing - Attribution and Emotional Response Questionnaire |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Emotion Regulation from pretreatment to end of treatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up | pretreatment, posttreatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up. Total of 2 months | Difficulty in Emotion Regulation Scale (higher score means greater emotion dysregulation) |
| Change in IED diagnosis from pretreatment to end of treatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up | pretreatment, posttreatment (4 weeks later) and 1-month follow-up. Total of 2 months | Intermittent Explosive Disorder-Module (presence vs absence of current disorder) |
Countries
United States
Outcome results
None listed