Testing a Novel Attention Based Training Prevention Strategy for First Responders: FirstFocus a Mobile App

Palo Alto University

Status: Invitation-only

Conditions: Wellbeing

Treatments: Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT07247149

2025-024-PAU

Details and patient eligibility

About

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.

Enrollment: 80 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

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

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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80 participants in 4 patient groups

Attention Training Baseline Start

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will begin ABM at the start of the study.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification

Attention Training Week 1 Start

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will begin ABM 1 week after the start of the study.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification

Attention Training Week 2 Start

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will begin ABM 2 weeks after the start of the study.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification

Attention Training Week 3 Start

Experimental group

Description:

Participants in this arm will begin ABM 3 weeks after the start of the study.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification