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Attention Bias Modification Versus Attention Control in Treatment of Social Anxiety

Not Applicable
Completed
Conditions
Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)
Social Anxiety
Social Anxiety Disorder
Interventions
Behavioral: Attention Control
Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification
Registration Number
NCT05018260
Lead Sponsor
Tel Aviv University
Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the clinical efficacy of treatment using gaze contingent music reward therapy (GC-MRT) with attention control treatment based on a similar paradigm, for social anxiety disorder (SAD)

Detailed Description

This study examines the possibility that the effectiveness shown for GC-MRT in the treatment of SAD leans on attention control rather than bias modification. Therefore half of the participants will receive the classic GC-MRT course of treatment while the other half a version of the task with non-emotional stimuli (geometric shapes).

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
COMPLETED
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
50
Inclusion Criteria
  • A signed consent form
  • Men and women between the ages of 18 and 65.
  • Meeting a current diagnosis of Social Anxiety Disorder (SP) according to the DSM-IV.
  • SP as the primary diagnosis: In cases of co-morbidity, SP will be deemed as the most distressing and clinically significant condition among the co-morbid disorders.
  • No current pharmaco-therapy.
Exclusion Criteria
  • A diagnosis of psychotic or bipolar disorders.
  • A diagnosis of a neurological disorder (i.e., epilepsy, brain injury).
  • Drug or alcohol abuse.
  • Any current pharmacological treatment.
  • Any current psychotherapeutic treatment.
  • Change in treatment during the study.
  • Poor judgment capacity (i.e., children under 18 and special populations).

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
attention controlAttention ControlAttention control modification: participants will receive gaze-contingent feedback according to their viewing patterns on rounded and sharp geometric shapes
GCMRTAttention Bias ModificationAttention bias modification: participants will receive gaze-contingent feedback according to their viewing patterns on disgusted and neutral faces
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Change from baseline - the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) - Diagnostic Interview scoresat baseline, one week after end of intervention

The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) is a 24-item scale, each item corresponding to a situation selected on the basis of clinical experience. Each item is rated on a severity scale ranging from 0 to 3 with regard to the passing week, measuring separately two components of social anxiety, specifically, fear/anxiety and avoidance of social interaction and performance situations. The minimum and maximum values of the LSAS total score are 0 and 144, respectively, with higher scores mean worse outcome. Although the assessor may request and ask for further detail and adjust the rating based on clinical experience, this option is not often exercised, and inter-rater agreement is not considered to be a relevant concern.

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Clinical Global Impressionat baseline, one week after end of intervention

A global measure of clinician impression improvement and severity of illness, ranging from 1 to 7. Higher scores mean worse outcome.

Change from baseline - the Social Phobia Inventory scoresat baseline, one week after end of intervention

This is a 17-item self-report measure of social anxiety evaluating fear, avoidance and physiological discomfort. Each item is rated on scale ranging from 0 to 4 with a total score ranging from 0 to 68. Higher scores mean worse outcome.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Tel Aviv University

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Tel Aviv, Israel

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