Improving the psychometric properties of dot-probe attention measures using response-based computation

• Published in: Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry 2018-09, Vol.60, p.95-103
• Main Authors: Evans, Travis C., Britton, Jennifer C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Anxiety disorders; Attention; Attention bias; Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder; Attentional bias; Behavior modification; Clinical utility; Cognitive psychology; Computation; Disengagement; Information processing; Psychometric properties; Quantitative psychology; Reaction time; Test-Retest reliability; Threat; Women
• ISSN: 0005-7916; 1873-7943
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2018.01.009

Abnormal threat-related attention in anxiety disorders is most commonly assessed and modified using the dot-probe paradigm; however, poor psychometric properties of reaction-time measures may contribute to inconsistencies across studies. Typically, standard attention measures are derived using average reaction-times obtained in experimentally-defined conditions. However, current approaches based on experimentally-defined conditions are limited. In this study, the psychometric properties of a novel response-based computation approach to analyze dot-probe data are compared to standard measures of attention. 148 adults (19.19 ± 1.42 years, 84 women) completed a standardized dot-probe task including threatening and neutral faces. We generated both standard and response-based measures of attention bias, attentional orientation, and attentional disengagement. We compared overall internal consistency, number of trials necessary to reach internal consistency, test-retest reliability (n = 72), and criterion validity obtained using each approach. Compared to standard attention measures, response-based measures demonstrated uniformly high levels of internal consistency with relatively few trials and varying improvements in test-retest reliability. Additionally, response-based measures demonstrated specific evidence of anxiety-related associations above and beyond both standard attention measures and other confounds. Future studies are necessary to validate this approach in clinical samples. Response-based attention measures demonstrate superior psychometric properties compared to standard attention measures, which may improve the detection of anxiety-related associations and treatment-related changes in clinical samples. •Response-based measures demonstrated strong internal consistency.•Standard measures demonstrated no evidence of internal consistency.•Response-based measures demonstrated improved stability across time.•Standard measures demonstrated no evidence of stability across time.•State anxiety was uniquely associated with the ratio of response-based orientation.