Researcher at University of Amsterdam Zeroes in on Psychopathology (Ecological Momentary Assessment and Personalized Networks in Cognitive Bias Modification Studies on Addiction: Advances and Challenges).

This article focuses on recent research from the University of Amsterdam examining cognitive bias modification (CBM) in treating alcohol use disorders. The study found that adding CBM to standard treatment reduces relapse rates, though CBM alone has limited effects, possibly due to its reliance on inferential rather than associative mental mechanisms. An improved version, inference-based ABC training, teaches individuals to link antecedents (A) of addictive behavior to alternative behaviors (B) and expected consequences (C) aligned with long-term goals. The research highlights the use of Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) and personalized network models as promising tools to tailor ABC training and enhance addiction treatment outcomes.