Attention manipulations: Moderating infl uences in treatment?

Attentional manip u la tions used in the explor a tion and modi fi c a tion of the cognit ive and affect ive compon ents of emotional reac tions have been based on distrac tion tech niques. Such tech niques appear effect ive in assist ing patients in coping with the distress accom pa ny ing certain medical and dental inter ven tions (e.g. Allen, Danforth, & Drabman, 1989). Distraction proced ures such as playing video games also appear effect ive in the control of condi tioned nausea in pediat ric cancer patients (Redd, Jacobsen, & Die-Trill, 1987). Distraction also appears to have an impact on prob lem atic beha vi oural responses. For example, the introduc tion of a distrac tion proced ure involving the viewing of a poster about which a story was told during treat ment reduced the anxious and disrupt ive beha viour of four chil dren under go ing dental treat ment (Stark et al., 1989).