Dysfunctional Attention Processes in Fear of Blushing: Specificity and Changeability

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Phobia, Social
• Interventions: Behavioral: Task Concentration Training; Behavioral: Standard CBT

• Registration Number: NCT00751465
• Lead Sponsor: Technische Universität Dresden

Brief Summary

Blushing is associated with a heightened self-focused attention. In our study we are interested if this self-focused attention can be shown experimentally and if it can be changed by therapy and training. For the experimental part of the study, we want to compare blushing fearful individuals to social anxious participants who are not fearful of blushing and to healthy controls who report to blush either seldom or quite often. In the therapeutical part of our study, we compare an attention training to the standard cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety disorder in an intensive group therapy approach.

Detailed Description

Fear of blushing is a specific syndrome in social anxiety disorder. Although attentional biases for social anxiety disorders have often been reported, specific data for fear of blushing are still missing. In this study, dysfunctional attention processes are examined by the use of various questionnaire measures and attention tests (e.g. Stroop test, task switching paradigm) comparing fear of blushers, other social phobia patients, healthy volunteers who report to blush seldomly respectively often. The second goal of the study is to examine if these attention processes can be changed by training and therapy. Therefore, individuals who fulfill DSM-IV criteria for social anxiety disorder and report fear of blushing as main problem, are treated with attention training and with CBT for social anxiety disorder. Therapy will be held in the form of intensive weekend group therapy. Differences in outcomes for both therapy types and in changeability of attention processes on objective test data are examined. Stability of results are tested up to 6-month and 12-month after post-assessment.

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2008-09-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2008-09-11
• Study First Posted: 2008-09-12
• Study Start: 2008-11
• Primary Completion: 2010-12
• Study Completion: 2010-12
• Status Verified: 2015-09
• Last Update Submitted: 2015-09-10
• Last Update Posted: 2015-09-11

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 82

Inclusion Criteria

• Social anxiety disorder (DSM-IV criteria) and fear of blushing as main complaint
• age: 18-70

Exclusion Criteria

• acute severe depression or bipolar disorder
• any disorder of ICD group F2
• acute and severe substance misuse
• any bodily illness which hinders from study participation

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: FACTORIAL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Task Concentration Training	Task Concentration Training	Task Concentration Training TCT following Bögels et al. (1997)
Standard CBT	Standard CBT	standard Cognitive Behavior Therapy, standard CBT following the model of Clark and Wells (1995).

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Brief Social Phobia Scale	pre, within, post, 6-months, and 12-months follow-up	Brief Social Phobia Scale BSPS is an interview assessing fear and avoidance in seven social situations and severity of four bodily symptoms.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Social Phobia Composite	pre, within, post, 6-months, and 12-months follow-up	The social phobia composite includes several self-report measures like the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Social Phobia Scale, Social Interaction Anxiety Scale, and Social Phobia Inventory.
Changes in objective attention test data	within, post, 6-months follow-up

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

TU Dresden; 🇩🇪 Dresden, Germany