Attentional Bias Modification in alcohol and cannabis dependent outpatients : an RCT

Attentional bias for substance-related cues has been found to contribute to the persistence of addiction. Consequently, attentional bias modification (ABM) might contribute to treatment outcome and the reduction of relapse rates. We therefore designed a study to test the clinical relevance of ABM as an add-on component of treatment as usual (TAU). Participants (N = 169), diagnosed with alcohol or cannabis use disorder, were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: TAU+ABM; TAU+placebo condition; TAU-only, and completed pre-, post-, 6 and 12 months follow-up measures of substance use, craving, and attentional bias. Participants in the TAU+ABM and the TAU+placebo condition completed ABM training sessions at home throughout the duration of TAU. This randomized controlled trial is the first to investigate whether an internet-based ABM intervention is effective in reducing relapse rates in alcohol and cannabis use disorder as an add-on to TAU, compared with an active and a TAU-only group.