Research review: Attention bias modification (ABM): a novel treatment for anxiety disorders

Abstract

Attention bias modification (ABM) is a newly emerging therapy for anxiety disorders that is rooted in current cognitive models of anxiety and in established experimental data on threat-related attentional biases in anxiety. This review describes the evidence indicating that ABM has the potential to become an enhancing tool for current psychological and pharmacological treatments for anxiety or even a novel standalone treatment. The review also outlines the gaps in need of bridging before ABM techniques could be routinely applied and incorporated into standard treatment protocols.