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Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)SADNCT07753538

Interpretation Bias Modification Training for Social Anxiety Disorder

A study testing Interpretation Bias Modification Training and Stress Management Psychoeducation in people with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), run by University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 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

The overall goal of the current study is to develop and evaluate a computerized interpretation bias modification (IBM) training for treating social anxiety disorder (SAD). A key focus is placed on enhancing accessibility and efficacy of IBM for SAD by delivering it through a mobile platform, with three specific aims… Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 60 years
Conditions the study is for
Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
What is being tested?
Interpretation Bias Modification Training and Stress Management Psychoeducation
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
50 participants
Where
1 siteUnited States
Study dates
26 Sep 2024to 8 Dec 2025
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 60 years
  • All sexes
  • No healthy volunteers
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Diagnosis of SAD based on the DIAMOND screening interview
  • Moderate or severe symptoms of SAD as assessed by the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS score of >= 30)
  • Ages 18-60
  • English as a primary language
  • Possession of a mobile device for access to training and text message for daily diary

Who cannot join

  • Self-report visual impairment that cannot be adjusted and will prevent them from clearly recognizing words and pictures on mobile screen
  • Self-reported history of a bipolar disorder or psychotic disorder as measured by Diagnostic History Scale
  • Current psychotherapy for SAD

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country.

United States1 site
  • University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee

    Milwaukee, Wisconsin, 53211

Other trials in United States

About this study

Official title: Computerized Interpretation Bias Modification Training for Social Anxiety Disorder

The overall goal of the current study is to develop and evaluate a computerized interpretation bias modification (IBM) training for treating social anxiety disorder (SAD). A key focus is placed on enhancing accessibility and efficacy of IBM for SAD by delivering it through a mobile platform, with three specific aims outlined.

First, the current study aims to examine the efficacy of the IBM training in reducing social anxiety symptoms by comparing the pre-, post-, and follow-up assessments of the IBM group with a control group.

Read more

Second, the current study aims to examine the effect of IBM on reducing participants' daily social anxiety symptoms using daily diary methodology.

Third, the investigators also aim to evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the IBM training. The investigators expect that at least 70% of participants will complete 4 or more of the six training sessions.

Being tested
Interpretation Bias Modification Training, Stress Management Psychoeducation
Keywords
interpretation bias, cognitive training, computerized intervention, social anxiety disorder
Medical subject headings
Phobia, Social

What participants receive

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

  • Interpretation Bias Modification TrainingBehavioural

    Interpretation Bias Modification Training aims to help participants interpret ambiguous social scenarios in a benign way, with the goal of reducing social anxiety symptoms. Individuals with social anxiety disorder tend to interpret ambiguous social situations negatively or catastrophize mildly negative events. This intervention targets this core cognitive characteristic by repeatedly training more adaptive interpretation. Cognitive training is delivered through mobile devices, increasing accessibility and cost-effectiveness while allowing participants to complete the intervention remotely.

  • Stress Management PsychoeducationBehavioural

    Stress Management Psychoeducation (SMP) is used as a credible comparison condition to evaluate whether CBM-I has specific therapeutic effects on reducing social anxiety symptoms. The SMP condition follows the same training format as CBM-I, in which participants complete fragmented sentences by filling in missing letters. However, the training content focuses on stress management strategies rather than modifying maladaptive interpretations of ambiguous social situations.

Study groups in NCT07753538
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretation Bias (CBM-I)ExperimentalCBM-I is designed to modify negative interpretation bias, a core cognitive characteristic of social anxiety disorder. During the training, participants will complete sentence fragments by filling in missing letters, guiding them to interpret ambiguous social scenarios in a benign way. Participants will complete the training three times per week for two weeks.
Receives: Behavioral: Interpretation Bias Modification Training
Stress Management Psychoeducation (SMP) GroupActive comparatorThe Stress Management Psychoeducation (SMP) group will also receive a cognitive training intervention involving the completion of sentence fragments by filling in missing letters. However, the training content will focus on stress management strategies, such as relaxation techniques and organizational skills, rather than interpretation bias modification. Participants in the SMP group will also complete the training three times per week for two weeks.
Receives: Behavioral: Stress Management Psychoeducation

What is being measured

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

  1. Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE)

    The BFNE is a 12-item questionnaire, evaluating the level of apprehension and distress about expected negative evaluation. The BFNE was used to assess the cognitive symptoms of social anxiety disorder.

    Measured: Pre-training (baseline); Post-training (approximately 1-2 days after completion of the 2-week intervention); 2-week follow-up (2 weeks after completion of the 2-week intervention)

  2. Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale- Self-report Version (LSAS-SR)

    The LSAS-SR is a 24-item scale that assesses the severity of social anxiety symptoms across two subscales: the level of anxiety (emotional reaction) and the level of avoidance (behavioral reaction). In the current study, the two subscales will be analyzed separately to evaluate the effects of the intervention on the emotional and behavioral symptoms of social anxiety.

    Measured: Pre-training (baseline); Post-training (approximately 1-2 days after completion of the 2-week intervention); 2-week follow-up (2 weeks after completion of the 2-week intervention)

  3. Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and OCD and Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders (DIAMOND)

    DIAMOND is a semi-structured diagnostic interview to assess DSM-5 psychiatric disorders and has demonstrated good reliability and validity. For the current study, only the social anxiety disorder module was administered at pre-training and follow-up assessments.

    Measured: Pre-training (baseline); 2-week follow-up (2 weeks after completion of the 2-week intervention)

Secondary outcomes (4)
  1. Word Sentence Association Paradigm (WSAP)

    The WSAP task was used to evaluate interpretation bias in response to ambiguous situations. During the task, participants indicate whether a presented word (either negative or benign) is related or unrelated to a subsequently presented ambiguous sentence. The scenarios included both social and general situations. The percentage of endorsement responses was calculated separately for each trial type: social-threat, social-benign, general-threat, and general benign.

    Measured: Pre-training (baseline); Post-training (approximately 1-2 days after completion of the 2-week intervention); 2-week follow-up (2 weeks after completion of the 2-week intervention)

  2. Daily Diary

    Daily diary was used to evaluate participants' daily social interactions and changes in social anxiety symptoms. Participants in both groups received a text message to complete the daily diary survey each evening over the 2-week period of training. The survey first asked participants to report the social interactions they had experienced that day, followed by questions assessing anxiety, avoidance, negative self-perception, fear of negative judgment, and satisfaction related to the most stressful social interaction.

    Measured: 2 weeks of training period

  3. Credibility and Expectancy Questionnaire (CEQ)

    The CEQ is a self-report measure that assesses participants' perceptions of the credibility of an intervention their expectations regarding its outcomes. This measure was used to evaluate the feasibility of the CBM-I intervention.

    Measured: After the 1st training session

  4. Treatment Acceptability Questionnaire (TAQ)

    The TAQ is a 5-item self-report measures that evaluates participants' perceptions of an intervention's acceptability, ethicality, acceptability of side effects, pleasantness and comfort of the intervention.

    Measured: 2-week follow-up (2 weeks after completion of the 2-week intervention)

Timeline

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

  1. First posted7 Aug 2026
  2. Study start26 Sep 2024
  3. Primary completion8 Dec 2025
  4. Study completion8 Dec 2025

Resources

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
Model description
Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: active training group (Interpretation Bias Modification Group; IBM) or placebo training group (stress management psychoeducation group; SMP). All participants will complete the cognitive training three times a week for two weeks.
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Participant
Enrolment
50 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07753538
Sponsor's protocol ID
UWM 25.022
Acronym
SAD
Status last verified
Jul 2026
First submitted
17 Jul 2026
Last updated
7 Aug 2026
Results posted
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
Undecided

Publications

  • Mobini S, Mackintosh B, Illingworth J, Gega L, Langdon P, Hoppitt L. Effects of standard and explicit cognitive bias modification and computer-administered cognitive-behaviour therapy on cognitive biases and social anxiety. J Behav Ther Exp Psychiatry. 2014 Jun;45(2):272-9. doi: 10.1016/j.jbtep.2013.12.002. Epub 2013 Dec 31.

    PubMed 24412966
  • Beard C, Amir N. A multi-session interpretation modification program: changes in interpretation and social anxiety symptoms. Behav Res Ther. 2008 Oct;46(10):1135-41. doi: 10.1016/j.brat.2008.05.012. Epub 2008 Jun 27.

    PubMed 18675400
  • Beard C. Cognitive bias modification for anxiety: current evidence and future directions. Expert Rev Neurother. 2011 Feb;11(2):299-311. doi: 10.1586/ern.10.194.

    PubMed 21306216
  • Amir N, Prouvost C, Kuckertz JM. Lack of a benign interpretation bias in social anxiety disorder. Cogn Behav Ther. 2012;41(2):119-29. doi: 10.1080/16506073.2012.662655. Epub 2012 Apr 30.

    PubMed 22545788
  • Patel TA, Schubert FT, Hom MA, Cougle JR. Correlates of treatment seeking in individuals with social anxiety disorder: Findings from a nationally representative sample. J Anxiety Disord. 2022 Oct;91:102616. doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2022.102616. Epub 2022 Aug 6.

    PubMed 36007388
  • Liu H, Li X, Han B, Liu X. Effects of cognitive bias modification on social anxiety: A meta-analysis. PLoS One. 2017 Apr 6;12(4):e0175107. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0175107. eCollection 2017.

    PubMed 28384301
  • Heinrichs N, Hofmann SG. Information processing in social phobia: a critical review. Clin Psychol Rev. 2001 Jul;21(5):751-70. doi: 10.1016/s0272-7358(00)00067-2.

    PubMed 11434229
  • Cougle JR, Wilver NL, Day TN, Summers BJ, Okey SA, Carlton CN. Interpretation Bias Modification Versus Progressive Muscle Relaxation for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Web-Based Controlled Trial. Behav Ther. 2020 Jan;51(1):99-112. doi: 10.1016/j.beth.2019.05.009. Epub 2019 May 24.

    PubMed 32005343
  • Clark DM, McManus F. Information processing in social phobia. Biol Psychiatry. 2002 Jan 1;51(1):92-100. doi: 10.1016/s0006-3223(01)01296-3.

    PubMed 11801234
  • Amir N, Taylor CT. Interpretation training in individuals with generalized social anxiety disorder: a randomized controlled trial. J Consult Clin Psychol. 2012 Jun;80(3):497-511. doi: 10.1037/a0026928. Epub 2012 Jan 16.

    PubMed 22250851

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Interpretation Bias Modification Training and Stress Management Psychoeducation in people with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), run by University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee 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 5 inclusion and 3 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 7 Aug 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?

Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation (BFNE) (time frame: Pre-training (baseline); Post-training (approximately 1-2 days after completion of the 2-week intervention); 2-week follow-up (2 weeks after completion of the 2-week intervention)). The study lists 3 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 NCT07753538, which also lists 10 linked publications.

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 7 Aug 2026.

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