Can I Have Your Attention?

This week, I began my Original Work research into attention-bias modification therapy to relieve anxiety in high-performing high school students. I am incredibly excited to pursue this research as it is not only something that is deeply personal to me, but it something that can directly better the lives of those around me and will finally present me the opportunity to conduct hands-on research. In Research Assessment #4, I decided to research the origins of attention-bias modification therapy by relying on a reputable source from the American Psychological Association (APA) from 2011. This article provides a first-hand, primary account of the scientific discussions that took place within the sphere of academia when this novel treatment was first being implemented in clinical trials. It was fascinating to learn about the original motivations behind the treatment and its predicted implications for patients, but particularly the expertise required to conduct the trials. I was pleasantly surprised when I learned that the expertise of a medical professional was not necessary to conduct the trials, and that they could be conducted through the internet via eye-tracking technologies and video recordings. I believe this is a huge success for me last week as I instead of being caught up in the complex minutia of the results large-scale clinical trials, I opted to seek the bigger picture and gain full clearance as to if this project was even feasible. This week, I will continue researching attention-bias modification therapy, but with a greater emphasis on how exactly it can be implemented within a web-based setting. I will start to create a detailed plan of exactly which softwares I would require, the number of participants in the sample size, how participants will be evaluated for aptitude and mental fitness, and other necessary factors.