Treatment of Social Phobia With Combined Cognitive Bias Modification and iCBT (SOFIE13a)

Umeå University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Social Phobia

Treatments: Behavioral: Cognitive bias modification training program variant 2; Behavioral: Internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT); Behavioral: Cognitive bias modification training program variant 1

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01570400

SOFIE13a

Details and patient eligibility

About

The purpose of this study is to determine whether an internet-based treatment program, consisting of combined cognitive bias modification and cognitive behavioral therapy, reduces symptoms of social phobia among a population diagnosed with this disorder.

Full description

Previous studies have shown that individuals with social phobia have attention biases, often focusing on or avoiding aversive stimuli (such as judging facial expressions) and thereby reinforcing the bias. Computerized training programs have been developed to implicitly direct the users attention. In this study, such a program -- combined with an established, well-researched and proven effective form of internet-based cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT) -- will be provided to 128 participants that meet the diagnostic criteria for social phobia, and the pre/post-measurements will be compared. Participants will be randomized to one of two groups, receiving one of two variants of the cognitive bias modification program (both receive iCBT).

Enrollment: 133 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Written informed consent provided
• Diagnosed social phobia (according to DSM-IV criteria)
• Access to computer with internet connection

Exclusion criteria

• Severe depression (and/or suicidal behavior)
• Suffer from other severe psychiatric condition (e.g. psychosis)
• Non-stable use of medication (3 months stable dosage)
• Undergoing other, parallel psychological treatment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

133 participants in 2 patient groups

CBM training program variant 1 + iCBT

Experimental group

Description:

Cognitive bias modification training program variant 1 combined with iCBT

Treatment:

Behavioral: Internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT)

Behavioral: Cognitive bias modification training program variant 1

CBM training program variant 2 + iCBT

Experimental group

Description:

Cognitive bias modification training program variant 2 combined with iCBT

Treatment:

Behavioral: Internet-administered cognitive behavioral therapy (iCBT)

Behavioral: Cognitive bias modification training program variant 2