Attention Bias Modification Training in Social Phobia/Social Anxiety Disorder

Umeå University129 enrolled

Overview

A study investigating six different versions of a computerized attention bias modification internet program in the treatment of social phobia / social anxiety disorder.

Previous studies have shown that individuals with social phobia have attention biases, often focusing on aversive stimuli or avoiding aversive stimuli. Computerized training programs have been developed to implicitly direct the users attention towards a neutral, non-threatening stimuli. In this study, such a program will be compared with a program that implicitly directs the users' attention towards threatening cues. Pre/post-measurements will be compared in a sample of individuals that meet diagnostic criteria of Social Anxiety Disorder. Participants will be randomized to one of three groups, receiving one of the two variants of the attention bias modification program or a control training program.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Enrollment

129

Conditions

Social Phobia

Interventions

Attention bias modificationBEHAVIORAL

All arms will consist of 10 minutes of training in front of a computer screen (192 trials) once a day for 14 days.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 100 Years

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Participants must meet criteria for social phobia using the International classification system Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th edition (DSM-IV). * Comorbidity is allowed, but social phobia must be the primary diagnosis. Exclusion Criteria: * Below 18 years old. * Individuals who are suicide prone will be excluded from the study.

Locations (1)

Department of Psychology, Umeå University

Umeå, Västerbotten County, Sweden

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change from baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale self rated version

Change from baseline in social anxiety symptoms expected between time frames.

Time frame: pretreatment (week 0), post treatment (week 2), 4 month follow-up

Secondary Outcomes

Change from baseline in Social Phobia Screening Questionnaire

Social Phobia Screening Questionnaire (SPSQ), diagnostic tool for social phobia. Change from baseline in social anxiety symptoms expected between time frames.