Abstract Background: Clinical trials of Attention Bias Modification for depressive symptoms have consistently produced small effect sizes and mixed results. Therefore, identifying subpopulations for whom this intervention works has been called for. Considering the intended mechanism behind Attention Bias Modification, change of attentional bias, the level of bias at baseline may moderate its efficacy. Methods: Participants with a history of depression (N=301) were randomized to receive two daily sessions of either Attention Bias Modification or sham for 14 days. A response-based attention bias score was calculated, and a moderator analysis was run at post-intervention and 1-month follow-up measured by change in Hamilton Depression Rating Scale and Beck Depression Inventory II, respectively. Results: Baseline attention bias did not significantly moderate the effect of Attention Bias Modification on any of the time points or depression measures. Conclusions: Baseline attentional bias was not found useful for characterizing subgroups more likely to benefit from ABM for depressive symptoms.

NIL has received consultancy fees and travel expenses from Lundbeck outside this work. CJH has received consultancy fees from P1vital, Lundbeck, Sage Therapeutics, Compass Pathways, Zogenix outside of this work. Other authors report no financial relationships with commercial interests.

ClinicalTrials.gov, number NCT02658682

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Written informed consent was obtained before enrollment. The study was approved by The Regional Ethical Committee for Medical and Health Research for Southern Norway (2014/217/REK Sør-Øst D). The authors assert that all procedures contributing to this work comply with the ethical standards of the relevant national and institutional committees on human experimentation and with the Helsinki Declaration of 1975, as revised in 2008.

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