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CompletedNCT01577303Updated Nov 1, 2016

Treatment of Social Phobia With Cognitive Bias Modification

An interventional study of Cognitive bias modification training program variant 1 and Cognitive bias modification training program variant 2 in Social Phobia, sponsored by Umeå University. Completed at 1 site in Sweden. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2016-11-01.

Sponsored by Umeå University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
129
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
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Study summary

The purpose of this study is to determine whether different internet-based treatment programs, consisting of cognitive bias modification, reduce symptoms of social phobia among a population diagnosed with this disorder.

Read the detailed description

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 provided to 128 participants that meet the diagnostic criteria for social phobia. It will be compared with a program that implicitly directs the users' attention towards threatening cues. Pre/post-measurements will be compared. Participants will be randomized to one of three groups, receiving one of the two variants of the cognitive bias modification program or a control training.

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Conditions studied

  • Social Phobia

Keywords

  • social phobia
  • social anxiety
  • cognitive bias modification
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In context

Phobic Disorders

135 studies on the registry are indexed under Phobic Disorders; 16 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 129 is above the median of 68 across 122 interventional studies indexed under Phobic Disorders.

Browse Phobic Disorders studies →

Lead sponsor

Umeå University is the lead sponsor of 263 studies on the registry; 60 are open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

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

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

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

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Double (Participant, Investigator)
Enrollment
129 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    CBM training program variant 1

    Attention training towards positive cues using words as stimuli

    Behavioral: Cognitive bias modification training program variant 1

  • Experimental
    CBM training program variant 2

    Attention training towards positive cues using words and faces as stimuli

    Behavioral: Cognitive bias modification training program variant 2

  • Experimental
    CBM training program variant 3

    Attention training towards negative using words as stimuli

    Behavioral: CBM training program variant 3

  • Experimental
    CBM training program variant 4

    Attention training towards negative using words and faces

    Behavioral: CBM training program variant 4

  • Experimental
    Control training variant 1

    Control training condition using words as stimuli

    Behavioral: Control training variant 1

  • Experimental
    Control training variant 2

    Control training condition using words and faces as stimuli

    Behavioral: Control training variant 2

Interventions

  • BehavioralCognitive bias modification training program variant 1

    Computerized, internet-based training program for implicit modification of cognitive bias of attention, variant 1. Participant is exposed to two words -- either neutral-negative, neutral-positive, or negative-positive -- for 500ms-1000ms, followed by a probe (\< or \>) in the previous position of ONE of these words and is then asked to press the corresponding arrow button on a keyboard. A total of 192 word pairs are shown during a session, of one third is the neutral-negative, one third is neutral-positive, and one third is negative-positive. The probe always follows the more positive word.

  • BehavioralCognitive bias modification training program variant 2

    Computerized, internet-based training program for implicit modification of cognitive bias of attention, variant 2. Participant is exposed to a pair of words or a pair of faces -- either neutral-negative, neutral-positive, or negative-positive -- for 500ms-1000ms, followed by a probe (\< or \>) in the previous position of ONE of these words or faces and is then asked to press the corresponding arrow button on a keyboard. A total of 96 word pairs and 96 face pairs are shown during a session. One third is neutral-negative, one third is neutral-positive, and one third is negative-positive. The probe always follows the more positive word or face.

  • BehavioralCBM training program variant 3

    Computerized, internet-based training program for implicit modification of cognitive bias of attention, variant 3. Participant is exposed to two words -- either neutral-negative, neutral-positive, or negative-positive -- for 500ms-1000ms, followed by a probe (\< or \>) in the previous position of ONE of these words and is then asked to press the corresponding arrow button on a keyboard. A total of 192 word pairs are shown during a session. One third is neutral-negative, one third is neutral-positive, and one third is negative-positive. The probe always follows the more negative word.

  • BehavioralCBM training program variant 4

    Computerized, internet-based training program for implicit modification of cognitive bias of attention, variant 4. Participant is exposed to a pair of words or a pair of faces -- either neutral-negative, neutral-positive, or negative-positive -- for 500ms-1000ms, followed by a probe (\< or \>) in the previous position of ONE of these words or faces and is then asked to press the corresponding arrow button on a keyboard. A total of 96 word pairs and 96 face pairs are shown during a session. One third is neutral-negative, one third is neutral-positive, and one third is negative-positive. The probe always follows the more negative word or face.

  • BehavioralControl training variant 1

    Computerized, internet-based training program for implicit modification of cognitive bias of attention, variant 1. Participant is exposed to a pair of words -- either neutral-negative, neutral-positive, or negative-positive -- for 500ms-1000ms, followed by a probe (\< or \>) in the previous position of ONE of these words and is then asked to press the corresponding arrow button on a keyboard. A total of 192 word pairs are shown during a session. One third is neutral-negative, one third is neutral-positive, and one third is negative-positive. The probe follows the more positive word and the more negative word with equal frequency..

  • BehavioralControl training variant 2

    Computerized, internet-based control training program, variant 2. Participant is exposed to a pair of words or a pair of faces -- either neutral-negative, neutral-positive, or negative-positive -- for 500ms-1000ms, followed by a probe (\< or \>) in the previous position of ONE of these words or faces and is then asked to press the corresponding arrow button on a keyboard. A total of 96 word pairs and 96 face pairs are shown during a session. One third is neutral-negative, one third is neutral-positive, and one third is negative-positive. The probe follows the more positive stimulus and the more negative stimulus with equal frequency.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change from baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Self-Rated (LSAS-SR)

    The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) is a questionnaire by psychiatrist and researcher, Michael Liebowitz, whose objective is to assess the range of social interaction and performance situations which patients with social anxiety disorder may fear. It is commonly used to study outcomes in clinical trials. The scale features 24 items, 13 relating to performance anxiety and 11 concerning social situations. It is not intended for use as a self-reporting diagnosis.

    Time frame: 24 hours

  2. Change from baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Self-Rated (LSAS-SR)

    The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) is a questionnaire by psychiatrist and researcher, Michael Liebowitz, whose objective is to assess the range of social interaction and performance situations which patients with social anxiety disorder may fear. It is commonly used to study outcomes in clinical trials. The scale features 24 items, 13 relating to performance anxiety and 11 concerning social situations. It is not intended for use as a self-reporting diagnosis.

    Time frame: 14 days

  3. Change from baseline in Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Self-Rated (LSAS-SR)

    The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) is a questionnaire by psychiatrist and researcher, Michael Liebowitz, whose objective is to assess the range of social interaction and performance situations which patients with social anxiety disorder may fear. It is commonly used to study outcomes in clinical trials. The scale features 24 items, 13 relating to performance anxiety and 11 concerning social situations. It is not intended for use as a self-reporting diagnosis.

    Time frame: 4 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Change from baseline in Quality Of Life Inventory (QOLI)

    The QOLI assessment yields an overall score and a profile of problems and strengths in 16 areas of life such as love, work and play. The QOLI test is a measure of positive psychology and positive mental health.

    Time frame: 24 hours

  2. Change from baseline in Quality Of Life Inventory (QOLI)

    The QOLI assessment yields an overall score and a profile of problems and strengths in 16 areas of life such as love, work and play. The QOLI test is a measure of positive psychology and positive mental health.

    Time frame: 14 days

  3. Change from baseline in Quality Of Life Inventory (QOLI)

    The QOLI assessment yields an overall score and a profile of problems and strengths in 16 areas of life such as love, work and play. The QOLI test is a measure of positive psychology and positive mental health.

    Time frame: 4 months

  4. Change from baseline in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

    9-item depression rating scale.

    Time frame: 24 hours

  5. Change from baseline in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

    9-item depression rating scale.

    Time frame: 14 days

  6. Change from baseline in Montgomery-Åsberg Depression Rating Scale (MADRS)

    9-item depression rating scale.

    Time frame: 4 months

  7. Change from baseline in Social Phobia Scale + Social Interaction Anxiety Scale

    Self-rated measurements of social anxiety/phobia.

    Time frame: 24 hours

  8. Change from baseline in Social Phobia Scale + Social Interaction Anxiety Scale

    Self-rated measurements of social anxiety/phobia.

    Time frame: 14 days

  9. Change from baseline in Social Phobia Scale + Social Interaction Anxiety Scale

    Self-rated measurements of social anxiety/phobia.

    Time frame: 4 months

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Study locations

1 site
  • Department of Psychology, Umeå University
    Umeå, Västerbotten 90187, Sweden
08

References and documents

Publications

  • Boettcher J, Leek L, Matson L, Holmes EA, Browning M, MacLeod C, Andersson G, Carlbring P. Internet-based attention bias modification for social anxiety: a randomised controlled comparison of training towards negative and training towards positive cues. PLoS One. 2013 Sep 30;8(9):e71760. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0071760. eCollection 2013. PubMed 24098630 ↗
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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Nov 1, 2016, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01577303
Lead sponsor
Umeå University
Responsible party
Per Carlbring, PhD (Professor, Umeå University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Apr 13, 2012
Start date
Apr 2012
Primary completion
Sep 2013
Completion
Oct 2013
Last update
Nov 1, 2016

Study contacts

Per Carlbring, Professor
principal investigator · Department of Psychology, Umeå University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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