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Investigating predictors of trauma induced data-driven processing and its impact on attention bias and free recall

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2020

John-Paul Corrigan ,
Donncha Hanna  and
Kevin F.W. Dyer
John-Paul Corrigan*
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Regional Trauma Network
Donncha Hanna
Affiliation:
Queens University Belfast, Belfast, Northern Ireland
Kevin F.W. Dyer
Affiliation:
Northern Ireland Regional Trauma Network
*
*Corresponding author. Email: jcorrigan07@qub.ac.uk
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Abstract

Background:

Whilst data-driven processing (DDP) during trauma has been shown to play a role in poor memory integration and is associated with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) re-experiencing symptoms, the pre-trauma risk factors and related cognitive mechanisms are uncertain.

Aims:

This experimental study aimed to investigate predictors of peri-traumatic DDP, as well as its role in attention bias to threat and free recall.

Method:

A virtual reality video was used to simulate an analogue trauma. Questionnaires, a free recall task, and an eye-tracking measure assessed cognitive changes after exposure.

Results:

Regression analysis demonstrated that trait dissociation at pre-exposure to trauma significantly predicted DDP. Attention bias towards threat-related images was found. Results showed that DDP and poorer free recall predicted attention bias to threat images and higher levels of DDP actually predicted higher overall scores in the free recall task.

Conclusions:

This study showed that DDP is strongly linked to dissociative traits, and along with memory disintegration it may predict attention changes after exposure to a trauma.

Keywords

attentional biasmemoryPTSDvirtual reality
Type
Main
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 48 , Issue 6 , November 2020 , pp. 646 - 657
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2020

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