Social Anxiety DisorderNCT04729803

Attention, Teleconferencing and Social Anxiety

A study testing Experimental: Attention Guidance + Exposure and Active Comparator: Exposure Alone in people with Social Anxiety Disorder, run by University of Texas at Austin at 1 site in United States.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record

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Trial summary

This study involves completing some online assessments and an intervention for social anxiety that all involve interactions with other people on a teleconferencing call. Read more about this study

Who is it for?: Ages 18 to 75 years
Conditions the study is for: Social Anxiety Disorder
What is being tested?: Experimental: Attention Guidance + Exposure and Active Comparator: Exposure Alone
Type of treatment: Lifestyle or therapy programme
Could I receive a placebo?: No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people: 53 participants
Where: 1 siteUnited States
Study dates: 18 Jan 2021to 30 Jun 2022
Phase: Interventional
Are there results?: Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

Ages 18 to 75 years
All sexes
No healthy volunteers
Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

Age 18-75
Fluent in English because the data collection materials have not yet been standardized in other languages
Having access to a computer with a webcam and ability to record audio
Personal Report of Communication Apprehension > 80
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale > 30
Meets DSM-5 Criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder

Who cannot join

Significant visual impairment precluding the use of the eye tracking equipment
Current, or history of bipolar disorder; current, or history of psychosis

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site

Laboratory for the Study of Anxiety Disorders, University of Texas at Austin
Austin, Texas, 78712

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Investigating Attentional Processes: Teleconferencing and Social Anxiety

This study involves completing some online assessments and an intervention for social anxiety that all involve interactions with other people on a teleconferencing call.

Conditions: Social Anxiety Disorder
Being tested: Experimental: Attention Guidance + Exposure, Active Comparator: Exposure Alone, Experimental: Attention Control + Exposure
Medical subject headings: Phobia, Social

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

Experimental: Attention Guidance + ExposureBehavioural
1. Participants will receive a brief standardized psychoeducation module, presented via a video recording.
2. Participants will then complete up to 10 analogue teleconferencing calls, each lasting a maximum of two minutes.
3. Between speeches participants will have a 1-minute break.
4. Participants will complete the subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) before and after each speech trial.
The experimental attention guidance condition: (1) the intervention rationale will include information about the importance of visually attending to the faces of the audience; (2) participants will be given target audience members to focus their gaze on during the their impromptu response. They will be told that they should look at and focus on the target audience member for the whole response.
Active Comparator: Exposure AloneBehavioural
1. Participants will receive a brief standardized psychoeducation module, presented via a video recording.
2. Participants will then complete up to 10 analogue teleconferencing calls, each lasting a maximum of two minutes.
3. Between speeches participants will have a 1-minute break.
4. Participants will complete the subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) before and after each speech trial.
Experimental: Attention Control + ExposureBehavioural
1. Participants will receive a brief standardized psychoeducation module, presented via a video recording. F
2. Participants will then complete up to 10 analogue teleconferencing calls, each lasting a maximum of two minutes. During each call participants will be prompted by one of the audience members.
3. Between speeches participants will have a 1-minute break.
4. Participants will complete the subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) before and after each speech trial.
The experimental attention control condition: (1) the intervention rationale will include information about the importance of attention control; (2) participants will be given target at the center of the screen to focus their gaze on during the their impromptu response. They will be told that they should look at and focus on the target for the whole response.

Study groups in NCT04729803
Study group	Role	What they receive
Attention Guidance + Exposure	Experimental	Participants will complete teleconferencing-based exposure trials with an attention guidance component. Receives: Behavioral: Experimental: Attention Guidance + Exposure
Exposure Alone	Active comparator	Participants will complete teleconferencing-based exposure trials. Receives: Behavioral: Active Comparator: Exposure Alone
Attention Control + Exposure	Experimental	Participants will complete teleconferencing-based exposure trials with an attention control component. Receives: Behavioral: Experimental: Attention Control + Exposure

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire
Assessment of communication concerns, range of scores is 24-120; higher scores are worse
Measured: prior to the first treatment session, an average of 2 days
Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire
Assessment of communication concerns, range of scores is 24-120; higher scores are worse
Measured: 1-week follow-up
Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire
Assessment of communication concerns, range of scores is 24-120; higher scores are worse
Measured: 2-week follow-up
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaire
Assessment of general social anxiety, range of scores is 0-144; higher scores are worse
Measured: prior to the first treatment session, an average of 2 days
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaire
Assessment of general social anxiety, range of scores is 0-144; higher scores are worse
Measured: 1-week follow-up
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaire
Assessment of general social anxiety, range of scores is 0-144; higher scores are worse
Measured: 2-week follow-up

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

18 Jan 202130 Jun 2022

First posted29 Jan 2021
Study start18 Jan 2021
Primary completion30 Jun 2022
Study completion30 Jun 2022

Resources

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
Other trials for Social Anxiety DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
More trials run by University of Texas at AustinThe sponsor's other registered studies.
What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design

Study type: Interventional
Phase: Phase N/A
Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: None (open label)
Enrolment: 53 participants (actual)

IDs, dates and publications

ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04729803
Sponsor's protocol ID: STUDY00000106
Status last verified: Jan 2024
First submitted: 7 Dec 2020
Last updated: 8 Jan 2024
Results posted: Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
Data monitoring committee: No
FDA-regulated drug: No
FDA-regulated device: No
Individual data sharing: Yes: Anonymized data and analysis syntax will be made available using an open data repository (e.g. osf.io)

Publications

Rubin M, Gebhardt E, Malloy L, Telch MJ. An initial test of a new self-guided internet-based intervention for social anxiety: iExposure. Cogn Behav Ther. 2025 Jan;54(1):1-16. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2024.2368519. Epub 2024 Jun 19.
PubMed 39625833

Want to know more?

The sponsor has not listed a contact. The official record may have more details.

Talk to your doctor first and take this page with you. Only the study team can confirm whether you can join.

Questions to ask the study team

What is the study trying to find out?
What would I need to do, and how often would I visit?
Could I receive a placebo instead of the treatment?
What are the possible risks and benefits for me?
Will it cost me anything? Are travel or time paid for?
Can I keep seeing my own doctor during the study?
What happens when the study ends?

See locations

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All Social Anxiety Disorder trials

Study at a glance

From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jan 2024. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.

Official title: Investigating Attentional Processes: Teleconferencing and Social Anxiety
ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT04729803
Acronym / sponsor ID: STUDY00000106
Conditions: Social Anxiety Disorder
Study type: Interventional
Recruitment status: Completed
Enrolment: 53 participants (actual)
Lead sponsor: University of Texas at AustinUniversity, hospital or other
Study start: 18 Jan 2021 (actual)
Primary completion: 30 Jun 2022 (actual)
Study completion: 30 Jun 2022 (actual)
First posted: 29 Jan 2021 (actual)
Results: Posted 8 Jan 2024

Clinical summary

The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.

This study involves completing some online assessments and an intervention for social anxiety that all involve interactions with other people on a teleconferencing call.

Study design

Primary purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomised
Intervention model: Parallel groups
Masking: None (open label)
Number of arms: 3

Arm	Type	Receives
Attention Guidance + Exposure	Experimental	Behavioral: Experimental: Attention Guidance + ExposureParticipants will complete teleconferencing-based exposure trials with an attention guidance component.
Exposure Alone	Active comparator	Behavioral: Active Comparator: Exposure AloneParticipants will complete teleconferencing-based exposure trials.
Attention Control + Exposure	Experimental	Behavioral: Experimental: Attention Control + ExposureParticipants will complete teleconferencing-based exposure trials with an attention control component.

Who may qualify

Ages: 18 to 75 years
Sex: All
Healthy volunteers: Not accepted
Age groups: Adult, Older adult

Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)

Age 18-75
Fluent in English because the data collection materials have not yet been standardized in other languages
Having access to a computer with a webcam and ability to record audio
Personal Report of Communication Apprehension > 80
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale > 30

Key exclusion criteria (2 listed)

Significant visual impairment precluding the use of the eye tracking equipment
Current, or history of bipolar disorder; current, or history of psychosis

Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.

Interventions

Intervention	Type	Arms
Experimental: Attention Guidance + Exposure1. Participants will receive a brief standardized psychoeducation module, presented via a video recording. 2. Participants will then complete up to 10 analogue teleconferencing calls, each lasting a maximum of two minutes. 3. Between speeches participants will have a 1-minute break. 4. Participants will complete the subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) before and after each speech trial. The experimental attention guidance condition: (1) the intervention rationale will include information about the importance of visually attending to the faces of the audience; (2) participants will be given target audience members to focus their gaze on during the their impromptu response. They will be told that they should look at and focus on the target audience member for the whole response.	Behavioural	Attention Guidance + Exposure
Active Comparator: Exposure Alone1. Participants will receive a brief standardized psychoeducation module, presented via a video recording. 2. Participants will then complete up to 10 analogue teleconferencing calls, each lasting a maximum of two minutes. 3. Between speeches participants will have a 1-minute break. 4. Participants will complete the subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) before and after each speech trial.	Behavioural	Exposure Alone
Experimental: Attention Control + Exposure1. Participants will receive a brief standardized psychoeducation module, presented via a video recording. F 2. Participants will then complete up to 10 analogue teleconferencing calls, each lasting a maximum of two minutes. During each call participants will be prompted by one of the audience members. 3. Between speeches participants will have a 1-minute break. 4. Participants will complete the subjective units of distress scale (SUDS) before and after each speech trial. The experimental attention control condition: (1) the intervention rationale will include information about the importance of attention control; (2) participants will be given target at the center of the screen to focus their gaze on during the their impromptu response. They will be told that they should look at and focus on the target for the whole response.	Behavioural	Attention Control + Exposure

Primary outcome

Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire
Time frame: prior to the first treatment session, an average of 2 days
Assessment of communication concerns, range of scores is 24-120; higher scores are worse
Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire
Time frame: 1-week follow-up
Assessment of communication concerns, range of scores is 24-120; higher scores are worse
Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire
Time frame: 2-week follow-up
Assessment of communication concerns, range of scores is 24-120; higher scores are worse
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaire
Time frame: prior to the first treatment session, an average of 2 days
Assessment of general social anxiety, range of scores is 0-144; higher scores are worse
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaire
Time frame: 1-week follow-up
Assessment of general social anxiety, range of scores is 0-144; higher scores are worse
Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaire
Time frame: 2-week follow-up
Assessment of general social anxiety, range of scores is 0-144; higher scores are worse

Results and safety

Results posted to the registry on 8 Jan 2024, as reported by the sponsor. Figures are copied from the record, not re-analysed. Full results on ClinicalTrials.gov.

Participant flow

Group	Started	Completed
Attention Guidance + Exposure	13	6
Exposure Alone	18	12
Attention Control + Exposure	22	9

Primary outcome: Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire

Time frame: prior to the first treatment session, an average of 2 days. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: score on a scale

Measure	Exposure Alone n = 18	Attention Control + Exposure n = 22	Attention Guidance + Exposure n = 13
Value	88.06 (11.66)	87.64 (11.91)	95.69 (14.35)

Primary outcome: Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire

Time frame: 1-week follow-up. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: score on a scale

Measure	Exposure Alone n = 15	Attention Control + Exposure n = 12	Attention Guidance + Exposure n = 7
Value	70.71 (7.01)	65.90 (5.36)	70.00 (1.10)

Primary outcome: Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire

Time frame: 2-week follow-up. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: score on a scale

Measure	Exposure Alone n = 12	Attention Control + Exposure n = 9	Attention Guidance + Exposure n = 6
Value	70.25 (6.25)	67.13 (3.23)	71.00 (1.67)

Primary outcome: Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale Questionnaire

Time frame: prior to the first treatment session, an average of 2 days. Mean (Standard Deviation). Unit: score on a scale

Measure	Exposure Alone n = 18	Attention Control + Exposure n = 22	Attention Guidance + Exposure n = 13
Value	81.06 (13.40)	74.50 (13.94)	87.77 (19.93)

Adverse events

Time frame: four weeks. Other adverse events reported at 0% frequency or more

Group	Serious adverse events	Other adverse events	Deaths
Exposure Alone	0 of 18 (0%)	0 of 18 (0%)	0 of 18
Attention Control + Exposure	0 of 22 (0%)	0 of 22 (0%)	0 of 22
Attention Guidance + Exposure	0 of 13 (0%)	0 of 13 (0%)	0 of 13

Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…

Research links

Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jan 2024.
Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
Derived from this study: PubMed 39625833Rubin M, Gebhardt E, Malloy L, Telch MJ. An initial test of a new self-guided internet-based intervention for social anxiety: iExposure. Cogn Behav Ther. 2025 Jan;54(1):1-16. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2024.2368519. Epub 2024 Jun 19.
Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Anonymized data and analysis syntax will be made available using an open data repository (e.g. osf.io)

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Referral and contact

AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.

The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.

1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 2 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jan 2024. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 8 Jan 2024). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Personal Report of Communication Apprehension Questionnaire (time frame: prior to the first treatment session, an average of 2 days). The study lists 6 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT04729803, which also lists 1 linked publication.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jan 2024.