Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)NCT05018260
Attention Bias Modification Versus Attention Control in Treatment of Social Anxiety
A study testing Attention Bias Modification in people with Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) and Social Anxiety, run by Tel Aviv University at 1 site in Israel.
Trial 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) Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia), Social Anxiety, Social Anxiety Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Attention Bias Modification
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 50 participants
- Where
- 1 siteIsrael
- Study dates
- 1 May 2021to 1 Apr 2022
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
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 65 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- 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).
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
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)
Read the 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).
- Being tested
- Attention Bias Modification, Attention Control
- Keywords
- social anxiety, social phobia, attention bias modification, attention control
- Medical subject headings
- Phobia, Social
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Attention Bias ModificationBehavioural
Feedback according to participants' viewing patterns, in order to modify their attention bias to threat
Attention ControlBehavioural
Feedback according to participants' viewing patterns, in order to strengthen their attention control
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| GCMRT | Experimental | Attention bias modification: participants will receive gaze-contingent feedback according to their viewing patterns on disgusted and neutral faces Receives: Behavioral: Attention Bias Modification |
| attention control | Experimental | Attention control modification: participants will receive gaze-contingent feedback according to their viewing patterns on rounded and sharp geometric shapes Receives: Behavioral: Attention Control |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change from baseline - the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) - Diagnostic Interview scores
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.
Measured: at baseline, one week after end of intervention
Secondary outcomes (2)
Change from baseline - the Social Phobia Inventory scores
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.
Measured: at baseline, one week after end of intervention
Clinical Global Impression
A global measure of clinician impression improvement and severity of illness, ranging from 1 to 7. Higher scores mean worse outcome.
Measured: at baseline, one week after end of intervention
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Aug 2021
- Study start1 May 2021
- Primary completion1 Jan 2022
- Study completion1 Apr 2022
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (1)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia)Studies of the same condition, open and under way.
- 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
- Triple blind
- Who is masked
- Participant, Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Tel Aviv University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Yair Bar-Haim, Tel Aviv University
- Investigators
- Yair Bar-Haim, PhD, Principal investigator, Tel Aviv University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05018260
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- TAUAttentionControl
- Status last verified
- Jan 2023
- First submitted
- 18 Aug 2021
- Last updated
- 4 Jan 2023
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Avni T, Ben Harush OM, Arad G, Azriel O, Lazarov A, Bar-Haim Y. The impact of ADHD on attentional bias modification outcomes: Evidence from gaze-contingent music reward therapy for social anxiety disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2026 Sep 11;205:105154. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2026.105154. Online ahead of print.
PubMed 42743597
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Jan 2023. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Attention Bias Modification Versus Attention Control in Treatment of Social Anxiety
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT05018260
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- TAUAttentionControl
- Keywords
- social anxiety, social phobia, attention bias modification, attention control
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 50 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Tel Aviv UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 May 2021 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Jan 2022 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Apr 2022 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Aug 2021 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Triple blind (participant, investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| GCMRT | Experimental | Behavioral: Attention Bias ModificationAttention bias modification: participants will receive gaze-contingent feedback according to their viewing patterns on disgusted and neutral faces |
| attention control | Experimental | Behavioral: Attention ControlAttention control modification: participants will receive gaze-contingent feedback according to their viewing patterns on rounded and sharp geometric shapes |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (7 listed)
- 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Attention Bias ModificationFeedback according to participants' viewing patterns, in order to modify their attention bias to threat | Behavioural | GCMRT |
| Attention ControlFeedback according to participants' viewing patterns, in order to strengthen their attention control | Behavioural | attention control |
Primary outcome
Change from baseline - the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) - Diagnostic Interview scores
Time frame: at 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.
2 secondary outcomes
Change from baseline - the Social Phobia Inventory scores
Time frame: at baseline, one week after end of intervention
Clinical Global Impression
Time frame: at baseline, one week after end of intervention
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Jan 2023.
- Derived from this study: PubMed 42743597Avni T, Ben Harush OM, Arad G, Azriel O, Lazarov A, Bar-Haim Y. The impact of ADHD on attentional bias modification outcomes: Evidence from gaze-contingent music reward therapy for social anxiety disorder. Behav Res Ther. 2026 Sep 11;205:105154. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2026.105154. Online ahead of print.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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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.
Yair Bar-Haim, PhD principal investigator
Tel Aviv University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Attention Bias Modification in people with Social Anxiety Disorder (Social Phobia) and Social Anxiety, run by Tel Aviv University at 1 site in Israel.
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 5 inclusion and 7 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 4 Jan 2023. 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 Israel. 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?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
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?
Change from baseline - the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) - Diagnostic Interview scores (time frame: at baseline, one week after end of intervention). 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 NCT05018260, 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 4 Jan 2023; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 7 Nov 2026.