Overview
Social anxiety (SA) is a highly prevalent mental health concern, thought to disproportionately affect youth with recent international estimates of more than 30% of individuals reporting clinically elevated symptoms. Despite the prevalence of SA, as few as one in five individuals receive care, due to limited access to evidence-based treatments. Additionally there has been a notable increase in social anxiety since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This proposal will use iExposure to develop a personalized mechanism-focused approach to optimizing treatment response for individuals with social anxiety by testing standard iExposure against two augmentations that incorporate distinct attention mechanisms (attention guidance and attention control).
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Age 18 or older
- Fluent in English
- Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale > 47 and endorses both social anxiety items on the Web Screening Questionnaire for Common Mental Disorders
Exclusion Criteria:
- Currently receiving CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder
- Significant visual impairment precluding engagement in the simulated teleconferencing interactions
- Unstable dose of psychotropic medications within 6 weeks prior to baseline assessment
- Current alcohol or substance use disorder
- Current or past bipolar disorder or psychosis