Attention processes in chronic fatigue syndrome: Attentional bias for health-related threat and the role of attentional control

TY - JOUR

T1 - Attention processes in chronic fatigue syndrome

T2 - Attentional bias for health-related threat and the role of attentional control

AU - Hou, Ruihua

AU - Moss-Morris, Rona

AU - Risdale, Anna

AU - Lynch, Jeannette

AU - Jeevaratnam, Preshan

AU - Bradley, Brendan P

AU - Mogg, Karin

N1 - Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PY - 2014/1

Y1 - 2014/1

N2 - Cognitive behavioural models of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) propose that attention processes, specifically, enhanced selective attention to health-threat related cues, may play an important role in symptom maintenance. The current study investigated attentional bias towards health-threat stimuli in CFS. It also examined whether individuals with CFS have impaired executive attention, and whether this was related to attentional bias. 27 participants with CFS and 35 healthy controls completed a Visual Probe Task measuring attentional bias, and an Attention Network Test measuring executive attention, alerting and orienting. Participants also completed self-report measures of CFS and mood symptoms. Compared to the control group, the CFS group showed greater attentional bias for health-threat words than pictures; and the CFS group was significantly impaired in executive attention. Furthermore, CFS individuals with poor executive attention showed greater attentional bias to health-threat related words, compared not only to controls but also to CFS individuals with good executive attention. Thus, this study revealed a significant relationship between attentional bias and executive attention in CFS: attentional bias to threat was primarily evident in those with impaired executive attention control. Taking account of individual differences in executive attention control in current intervention models may be beneficial for CFS.

AB - Cognitive behavioural models of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) propose that attention processes, specifically, enhanced selective attention to health-threat related cues, may play an important role in symptom maintenance. The current study investigated attentional bias towards health-threat stimuli in CFS. It also examined whether individuals with CFS have impaired executive attention, and whether this was related to attentional bias. 27 participants with CFS and 35 healthy controls completed a Visual Probe Task measuring attentional bias, and an Attention Network Test measuring executive attention, alerting and orienting. Participants also completed self-report measures of CFS and mood symptoms. Compared to the control group, the CFS group showed greater attentional bias for health-threat words than pictures; and the CFS group was significantly impaired in executive attention. Furthermore, CFS individuals with poor executive attention showed greater attentional bias to health-threat related words, compared not only to controls but also to CFS individuals with good executive attention. Thus, this study revealed a significant relationship between attentional bias and executive attention in CFS: attentional bias to threat was primarily evident in those with impaired executive attention control. Taking account of individual differences in executive attention control in current intervention models may be beneficial for CFS.

U2 - 10.1016/j.brat.2013.10.005

DO - 10.1016/j.brat.2013.10.005

M3 - Article

C2 - 24262484

SN - 0005-7967

VL - 52

SP - 9

EP - 16

JO - Behaviour Research and Therapy

JF - Behaviour Research and Therapy

ER -