Does the character trait neuroticism predict healthy individuals’ attentional bias towards visual itch stimuli?: A meta-analytic approach to dot-probe studies on itch

Itch can produce significant problems and diminish quality of life because it requires a great deal of attention. The studies conducted on attentional bias towards itch differ greatly in results. The primary aim of the current meta-analysis is to determine the overall extent of attentional bias towards visual itch stimuli which healthy individuals display when measured with the dot-probe task. A secondary aim is to investigate how strongly the individual character trait neuroticism predicts attentional bias towards itch in healthy individuals. In total, 563 healthy participants from seven different studies had been included in this meta-analysis for the first hypothesis, and 408 healthy participants from five studies for the second hypothesis. The main findings of the present meta-analysis do not support the notion that healthy individuals display attentional bias towards itch pictures and words (ES = 0.76, SE = 3.43, t (4.27) = 0.22, P = 0.835, 95% CI: -.3.39 to 4.04). Furthermore,...Show moreItch can produce significant problems and diminish quality of life because it requires a great deal of attention. The studies conducted on attentional bias towards itch differ greatly in results. The primary aim of the current meta-analysis is to determine the overall extent of attentional bias towards visual itch stimuli which healthy individuals display when measured with the dot-probe task. A secondary aim is to investigate how strongly the individual character trait neuroticism predicts attentional bias towards itch in healthy individuals. In total, 563 healthy participants from seven different studies had been included in this meta-analysis for the first hypothesis, and 408 healthy participants from five studies for the second hypothesis. The main findings of the present meta-analysis do not support the notion that healthy individuals display attentional bias towards itch pictures and words (ES = 0.76, SE = 3.43, t (4.27) = 0.22, P = 0.835, 95% CI: -.3.39 to 4.04). Furthermore, it does not support the notion that individuals who score higher on neuroticism have an attentional bias towards itch pictures and words (ES = 0.33, SE = 0.38, t (326.33) = -0.88, P = 0.381, 95% CI: -3.24 to 3.87). This meta-analysis leads to prospective directions to further explore different factors of attentional bias towards itch stimuli. Future researchers need to investigate whether itch stimuli may potentially be biased in patients with chronic itch. Furthermore, studies are needed to investigate whether attentional bias is not reflected in these studies and how the differences in results are caused, for instance by researching other character traits.Show less

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Does the character trait neuroticism predict healthy individuals’ attentional bias towards visual itch stimuli? A meta-analytic approach to dot-probe studies on itch