Sex Differences, Cognitive Training & Emotion Processing

An interference task involving target words presented over non-target visual stimuli. The primary dependent measure is change in reaction time on trials with incongruent stimuli (e.g., a negative word presented over a "happy" face) from baseline to post-training assessment. Change scores are calculated by subtracting reaction time at post-training assessment from reaction time at baseline, thus positive values indicate improvements in processing speed from pre- to post-training (e.g., 500ms [baseline score] - 300ms [post-training score] = 200ms [positive change score]).

A psychomotor and visual perception task wherein participants connect numbered dots by drawing a continuous line. The primary dependent measure is change in task completion time from baseline to post--training assessment.

A psychomotor and visual perception task with a set-shifting component wherein participants connect numbered and lettered dots by drawing a continuous line. The primary dependent measure is change in task completion time from baseline to post-training assessment.

A psychomotor and set-shifting task involving translation between numbers and symbols. The primary dependent measure is the change in number of correctly translated symbols within 90 seconds from baseline to post-training assessment.

A visual perception task involving mental rotation. The primary dependent measure is the change in response accuracy from baseline to post-training assessment. This change was calculated as the difference between the proportion of correct responses at baseline and post-training asssessments. Positive values represent gains in accuracy. Negative values represent decreases in accuracy.

A reasoning and set-shifting task. Participants must determine novel rule sets for stimuli matching through trial and error. Ss must match each 'Test Card' with a 'Key Card'. Criteria for a successful match shift throughout the testing session and may include color, shape, and number of symbols. The primary dependent measure is the change in response accuracy from baseline to post-training assessment.

A working memory task involving numbers presented visually. Ss are presented with a list of digits, one at a time, followed by a probe digit. They must determine if the probe digit was in the original set of digits and recall the digits. The primary dependent measure is the change in response accuracy (proportion of correct responses) from baseline to post-training assessment. Positive values indicate greater proportions of correct responses at post-test, relative to baseline.

An interference task involving target words (e.g., red) presented in interfering colors (e.g., blue). The primary dependent measure is change in reaction time from baseline to post-training assessment. Change scores are calculated by subtracting reaction time at post-training assessment from reaction time at baseline, thus positive values indicate improvements in processing speed from pre- to post-training (e.g., 500ms [baseline score] - 300ms [post-training score] = 200ms [positive change score]).

A discrimination task in which participants are asked to determine which complex shape differs among a set of three. Outcomes reflect the difference in response times from baseline to post-test assessments, with negative values corresponding to improved speed at post-test.

Measures frequency and quantity of daily alcohol use, measured as average ounces of alcohol consumed per day.

Summarizes responses to 14 different topics that may cause disagreements in the participants' family. Response to each topic is binarized (Yes = 1; No = 0). Single summary score is generated by summing across all topics. The maximum score is 14; the minimum score is 0. Higher values represent a worse outcome.

Mood/affect assessment in which participants indicate whether presented words describe how they have felt during the past week on a scale from 0-4, where 0 indicates "not at all"; 1 indicates "a little"; 2 indicates "moderately"; 3 indicates "quite a bit"; and 4 indicates "extremely". The outcome reflects a difference in total score from pre- to post-test, with negative values reflecting improvements.

Indexes alcohol craving frequencies. Questions include:

• Over the past week, how often did you have a strong urge to drink?
• Over the past week, how often did you picture alcohol or drinking?
• Over the past week, how often did you imagine what it would taste like?
• Over the past week, how often did you imagine how your body would feel if you had a drink?

Higher scores reflect greater craving.

• Over the past week, how often were these thoughts intrusive?

Participants respond on a scale from 1-10 for each question. Responses are summed. Thus, scores range from 5-50.