Hypothesis
A probe-detection attention bias modification program that trains attention away from threatening faces, which had shown large effects in clinic-based trials, would work as well when delivered over the internet at home.
What failed
In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial of 79 participants analysed by intention to treat, both groups improved over time on social anxiety, general anxiety, depression and quality of life, but there were no time-by-group interactions and the between-group effect size was close to zero at post-test and at 4-month follow-up.
Broken assumption
Attention bias modification that works in a supervised clinic setting transfers unchanged to unsupervised home use over the internet.
Why
The authors do not pin down a cause; they conclude the program may need to be changed before it can be disseminated online.
From the published paper: Carlbring et al. BMC Psychiatry, 2012. ↗CC BY