Testing a Novel Attention Based Training Prevention Strategy for First Responders: FirstFocus a Mobile App
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Attention Bias Modification.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Wellbeing. Basic parameters: from 18 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- United States
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Official title
Testing a Novel Attention Based Training Prevention Strategy for First Responders: FirstFocus a Mobile Appt
Overview
First responders are frequently exposed to high-stress and traumatic events, putting them at increased risk for mental health challenges such as posttraumatic stress disorder, anxiety, and depression. Access to traditional mental health services is often hindered by stigma, time constraints, and a lack of tailored resources. Mobile app-based interventions offer a promising solution due to their accessibility and potential to address mental health proactively and in a time sensitive way. Attention training has emerged as a simple way to prevent distress and the emergence of future mental health concerns. The proposed research will test a mobile app: FirstFocus which will leverage targeted attention training to prevent stress/distress during shifts and enhance the wellbeing of rural first responders. The specific aims are to (1) test the feasibility and acceptability of FirstFocus as an intervention for rural first responders; (2) to test the short-term preventative efficacy of attention training on state stress/distress and its longer-term efficacy for improving professional quality of life and reducing symptoms of anxiety and depression.
Interventions
- Behavioral Attention Bias Modification
Attention training involves 80 training trials. The task uses words developed specifically for this study with fear words such as "crash" and "car" and neutral words such as "couch" and "can" that are balanced for length and frequency. Additionally, on every trial the location of the probe is the same as the location of the fear word. Participants press the button corresponding to the direction of the probe. The training takes approximately 5 minutes to complete.
Primary outcome measures
- Client Satisfaction Questionnaire [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks.]
Secondary outcome measures (5)
- Stress Reduction (visual analogue scale) [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks.]
- Professional Quality of Life [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks]
- Symptoms of depression [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks]
- Symptoms of anxiety [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks]
- Stress [Time frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 8 weeks]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
- Age 18 or older
- Employed as an Active First Responder
- iPhone mobile device
- Located in a rural part of the US
Exclusion criteria
\- Works less than 20 hours/week on average
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Model
- Parallel assignment
- Masking
- Open label
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
Study locations
United States · 1 center
- Palo Alto University — Palo Alto
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07247149 · 2025-024-PAU