The role of Interpretation bias in fatigue: a cognitive bias modification pilot
Type of research: quantitative empirical
Description:
A growing body of research shows that automatic and unconscious mental processes, so-called cognitive biases, play a causal role in health-related behaviors (healthy food, alcohol abuse), in somatic disease symptoms like chronic fatigue, and in mental health disorders. Traditional psychosocial interventions, however, do not target these cognitive biases. Computer-mediated techniques, Cognitive Bias Modification (CBM), have recently emerged that can correct these maladaptive biases with simple repetitive association tasks.
Recently, The BMS Lab has added a mobile CBM app in the TiiM platform, called IVY, targeting fatigue-related cognitive bias, used in a PhD project at our section (Geerts et al.).
In this thesis project, we will develop and test an adapted CBM technique, targeting biased interpretations of ambiguous cues (based on work by Hughes, Sharpe, and Mathews, see refs below). We will conduct an pilot-experiment (optionally with a non-treatment control group, and an active CBM group), exposing the experimental condition to a few daily CBM-I sessions (also to be developed for the purpose of this project). Main outcome measure will be the change in interpretation bias, which will be measured with an Ambiguous Scenario Task (to be developed specifically for this project, based on Hughes et al.).
The general research aims are:
Is CBM-I effective in correcting the fatigue bias?
Some additional research questions for individual thesis topics include:Is CBM-I effective in improving behavioral outcomes (all-or-nothing behavior, procrastination, physical activity)?
- Is CBM-I effective in improving health-related outcomes (like self-reported fatigue, vitality, mental health or quality of life measures)?
- Are CBM-I effects dependent on other characteristics (moderators)?
References
Some readings on the topic:
Jones & Sharpe, 2017
Leung et al., 2022
Kakoschke et al., 2017
Martinelli et al., 2022
Sharpe et al., 2022
Hughes et al., 2017
Mathews et al., 2007
Prior studies in our group on fatigue CBM: