The goal of this clinical trial is to understand which individuals benefit most from an internet-based cognitive behavioral intervention for social anxiety. Adults aged 18-65 will complete a self-guided online program designed to reduce anxiety symptoms. The investigators will use a combination of self-reported clinical information and data from computerized decision-making and cognitive tasks to predict behavioral change due to the intervention.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
NA
Purpose
OTHER
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
200
Participants will be offered the use of a self-help tool, e-couch (https://ecouch.com.au), for 5 weeks. e-couch is an online, self-directed tool that provides interactive self-help and evidence-based information to help users understand and manage common mental health challenges including symptoms of depression and anxiety. The e-couch social anxiety program will be used in this study. It is structured like an interactive self-help book and participants can log back into at any time to learn and review skills. The e-couch social anxiety program includes a comprehensive information module, as well as self-help modules with interactive exercises and workbooks that teach evidence-based strategies. The content will cover topics such as cognitive restructuring and exposure, with an emphasis on learning strategies to reduce social anxiety.
Princeton University, but recruitment and study are conducted completely online and can occur anywhere in the US.
Princeton, New Jersey, United States
Cumulative Score for Self-Selected Goals Over a 5-Week Intervention
At baseline, participants select three personal goals. At the end of each intervention week, participants rate their progress toward each goal. The primary outcome is cumulative per-goal scores across the 5 intervention weeks.
Time frame: From baseline (goal selection) to the end of Week 5 of the intervention, assessed weekly at the end of each intervention week.
Change from Baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) Avoidance Subscale Score at End of Week 5
The LSAS Avoidance subscale is a self-report measure assessing avoidance of social interaction and performance situations, rated across 24 items on a 0-3 scale (0 = never, 3 = usually), yielding a total avoidance subscale score ranging from 0-72. Higher scores indicate greater avoidance. This outcome is the change in total subscale score from baseline to end of Week 5.
Time frame: From baseline to the end of Week 5 of the intervention.
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