Social Anxiety DisorderNCT06526260
Very Brief Exposure: Development of a Novel Exposure Modality for Social Anxiety Disorder in Transition-Age Youth
A study testing Very Brief Exposure to Facial Expressions in people with Social Anxiety Disorder, run by Children's Hospital Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The goal of this clinical trial is to identify the circuit activations by very brief exposure (VBE) among youth with social anxiety disorder (SAD) in order to develop a novel intervention for those with SAD. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 22 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- What is being tested?
- Very Brief Exposure to Facial Expressions
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 120 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 14 Aug 2024to 26 Oct 2026
- 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 16 to 22 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Patient Population
- Males and females aged 16-22. This age range corresponds with our prior studies of very brief exposure (VBE) in Specific Phobia and will include older adolescents while minimizing potential developmental effects on circuit activation.
- Youth with a Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) diagnosis of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) on Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Aged Children, Computerized version (K-SADS-COMP) for youth ages 16-17, or the computerized version of Structured Clinical Interview for the DSM-5 (NetSCID) for youth ages 18+.
- Healthy Population
- Male and female youth aged 16-22.
- Parents • Parent/caregiver of all ages, no restrictions who are fluent in either English or Spanish.
Who cannot join
- Patient Population
- Primary language other than English or Spanish.
- Active suicidality on the Colombia-Suicide Severity Scale (plan, intent, or behavior)
- Ferromagnetic implants (e.g., pacemaker), metal braces, retainers, tattoos or permanent make-up with metallic content, transdermal medicinal patches that cannot be removed.
- Current psychoactive medication.
- Lifetime diagnosis of: obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), psychotic, bipolar, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability on the KSADS-COMP or NetSCID.
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- Any serious neurological or medical conditions (e.g., Lupus, cancer, human immunodeficiency virus positive (HIV+)) as reported by potential participants.
- Current Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) diagnosis.
- Current severe substance abuse (except tobacco/nicotine).
- Pregnancy, as determined by the participant's self-report prior to the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scan.
- Healthy Population
- Primary language other than English or Spanish.
- Lifetime disorders: any anxiety disorders, OCD, psychotic, bipolar, autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability; any psychiatric disorder in the past 2 years
- Current depression disorder.
- Active psychiatric disorder in the past 2 years.
- Serious neurological or medical conditions.
- Current psychoactive medication.
- Ferromagnetic implants (e.g., pacemaker), metal braces, retainers, tattoos or permanent make-up with metallic content, transdermal medicinal patches that cannot be removed.
- Active suicidality on the Colombia-Suicide Severity Scale (plan, intent, or behavior).
- Pregnancy, as determined by the participant's self-report prior to the MRI scan.
- Parents • Primary language other than English or Spanish.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
United States1 site
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
Los Angeles, California, 90027
About this study
The goal of this clinical trial is to identify the circuit activations by very brief exposure (VBE) among youth with social anxiety disorder (SAD) in order to develop a novel intervention for those with SAD. The secondary objectives of this study are to measure the effect of VBE on subjective fear ratings, and participants' awareness and tolerance of the exposure stimuli.
- The primary outcome of this study is the mean activation of frontostriatal and prefrontal brain regions to facial stimuli, as measured by Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) response, in 4 regions of interest during the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Another primary outcome of the study is to identify networks of regions subserving emotion regulation and attention, as measured by BOLD response of corresponding brain regions.
Read more
Secondary Outcomes
-The secondary outcome of this study is the fear induced by exposure to facial expression stimuli as measured by a 4-point fear scale during the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) after each block of 10 facial expression stimuli trials.
Participants will participate in an interview where they will answer questions both inside and outside of the MRI scan. Participants will be asked to rate on a scale the imagines they see while undergoing MRI scan.
- Conditions
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Being tested
- Very Brief Exposure to Facial Expressions
- Keywords
- Youth, Very Brief 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.
Very Brief Exposure to Facial ExpressionsBehavioural
In Very Brief Exposure (VBE): a series of rapid micro- exposures to images depicting feared stimuli (e.g., for SAD, judgmental faces). Each image is followed by a masking stimulus to prevent its conscious recognition. This sequence of image-mask stimuli is repeated many times in an exposure session.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Image Exposure Arm | Experimental | Participants will see various images of facial expressions on a computer screen and provide various rating scores about them. Receives: Behavioral: Very Brief Exposure to Facial Expressions |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Mean Activation of Frontostriatal and Prefrontal Brain Regions to disgusted facial expression in Social Anxiety
A hypothesis-driven, group-level analysis will test brain activity, measured as Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) response, in 4 regions of interest while minimizing Type II error.
Measured: Day 2
Mean activation of regions subserving emotion, emotion regulation, and attention processing. Mean deactivation of the Default Mode Network.
To identify networks of regions subserving information processing functions, we will employ a voxel-wise, linear mixed model with random- and fixed-effects in group-level analyses. The use of a mixed model with random effects will account for highly discrepant variances between and within participants. We will use Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 Software's (SPM12) implementation of Random Field Theory (RFT) at a voxel-wise level to control for false positives. We will assess the cluster-level statistical significance of task-related brain activity using nonparametric, permutation-based statistical techniques.
Measured: Day 2
Secondary outcomes (2)
Fear induced by exposure to disgusted facial expression in youth with social anxiety as measured by fear scale
After each block of 10 disgusted facial expressions, participants rate levels of fear on a 4-point, 1-4 visual analogue scale with these anchor point: "1 - Minimal fear", "2 - Moderate Fear", "3- Much Fear" and "4 - extreme fear".
Measured: Day 2
Fear induced by exposure to disgusted facial expression in healthy participants as measured by fear scale
After each block of 10 disgusted facial expressions, participants rate levels of fear on a 4-point, 1-4 visual analogue scale with these anchor point: "1 - Minimal fear", "2 - Moderate Fear", "3- Much Fear" and "4 - extreme fear".
Measured: Day 2
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted29 Jul 2024
- Study start14 Aug 2024
- Primary completion26 Oct 2026
- Study completion26 Oct 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Social Anxiety DisorderStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Children's Hospital Los AngelesThe 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
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Bradley Peterson, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
- Investigators
- Bradley S Peterson, MD, Principal investigator, Children's Hospital Los Angeles
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06526260
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- CHLA-24-00088
- Other IDs
- 1R21MH135353-01
- Status last verified
- Oct 2026
- First submitted
- 25 Jul 2024
- Last updated
- 28 Oct 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 28 Oct 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Very Brief Exposure: Development of a Novel Exposure Modality for Social Anxiety Disorder in Transition-Age Youth
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06526260
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- CHLA-24-00088
- Conditions
- Social Anxiety Disorder
- Keywords
- Youth, Very Brief Exposure
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 120 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Children's Hospital Los AngelesUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Study start
- 14 Aug 2024 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 26 Oct 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 26 Oct 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 29 Jul 2024 (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 goal of this clinical trial is to identify the circuit activations by very brief exposure (VBE) among youth with social anxiety disorder (SAD) in order to develop a novel intervention for those with SAD. The secondary objectives of this study are to measure the effect of VBE on subjective fear ratings, and participants' awareness and tolerance of the exposure stimuli.
- The primary outcome of this study is the mean activation of frontostriatal and prefrontal brain regions to facial stimuli, as measured by Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) response, in 4 regions of interest during the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).
- Another primary outcome of the study is to identify networks of regions subserving emotion regulation and attention, as measured by BOLD response of corresponding brain regions.
Secondary Outcomes
-The secondary outcome of this study is the fear induced by exposure to facial expression stimuli as measured by a 4-point fear scale during the functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) after each block of 10 facial expression stimuli trials.
Participants will participate in an interview where they will answer questions both inside and outside of the MRI scan. Participants will be asked to rate on a scale the imagines they see while undergoing MRI scan.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Basic science
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Image Exposure Arm | Experimental | Behavioral: Very Brief Exposure to Facial ExpressionsParticipants will see various images of facial expressions on a computer screen and provide various rating scores about them. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 22 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Patient Population
- Healthy Population
- Parents • Parent/caregiver of all ages, no restrictions who are fluent in either English or Spanish.
Key exclusion criteria (21 listed)
- Patient Population
- Healthy Population
- Parents • Primary language other than English or Spanish.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Very Brief Exposure to Facial ExpressionsIn Very Brief Exposure (VBE): a series of rapid micro- exposures to images depicting feared stimuli (e.g., for SAD, judgmental faces). Each image is followed by a masking stimulus to prevent its conscious recognition. This sequence of image-mask stimuli is repeated many times in an exposure session. | Behavioural | Image Exposure Arm |
Primary outcome
Mean Activation of Frontostriatal and Prefrontal Brain Regions to disgusted facial expression in Social Anxiety
Time frame: Day 2
A hypothesis-driven, group-level analysis will test brain activity, measured as Blood Oxygen Level Dependent (BOLD) response, in 4 regions of interest while minimizing Type II error.
Mean activation of regions subserving emotion, emotion regulation, and attention processing. Mean deactivation of the Default Mode Network.
Time frame: Day 2
To identify networks of regions subserving information processing functions, we will employ a voxel-wise, linear mixed model with random- and fixed-effects in group-level analyses. The use of a mixed model with random effects will account for highly discrepant variances between and within participants. We will use Statistical Parametric Mapping 12 Software's (SPM12) implementation of Random Field Theory (RFT) at a voxel-wise level to control for false positives. We will assess the cluster-level statistical significance of task-related brain activity using nonparametric, permutation-based statistical techniques.
2 secondary outcomes
Fear induced by exposure to disgusted facial expression in youth with social anxiety as measured by fear scale
Time frame: Day 2
Fear induced by exposure to disgusted facial expression in healthy participants as measured by fear scale
Time frame: Day 2
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 28 Oct 2026.
- 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.
Bradley S Peterson, MD principal investigator
Children's Hospital Los Angeles
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Very Brief Exposure to Facial Expressions in people with Social Anxiety Disorder, run by Children's Hospital Los Angeles at 1 site in United States.
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 21 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 28 Oct 2026. 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?
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?
Mean Activation of Frontostriatal and Prefrontal Brain Regions to disgusted facial expression in Social Anxiety (time frame: Day 2). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 28 Oct 2026.