Brief Shame Intervention Study

The Development and Evaluation of a Brief Shame Intervention Module: Proof of Concept in Social Anxiety Disorder

The current project will develop and test a brief 2-session shame intervention in individuals diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD). Using a non-concurrent multiple baseline design, the investigators will determine whether the brief shame intervention leads to reductions in trait self-reported shame and state shame in response to an in vivo stressor task. The investigators will also evaluate the effect of changes in shame on trait SAD symptoms.

Inclusion Criteria:

-≥ 18 years old

• fluent in English, in terms of verbal and written competence
• meet diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder (as assessed by the Diagnostic Interview for Anxiety, Mood, and OCD and Related Neuropsychiatric Disorders; Tolin et al., 2016)
• have elevated levels of shame (i.e., score 1 SD above the Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3 [TOSCA-3] means reported by an unselected undergraduate sample [M = 33.62, SD = 8.64])
• endorse a desire to decrease their levels of shame and/or social anxiety.

Exclusion Criteria:

• currently receiving cognitive-behavioral therapy specifically for social anxiety or shame
• have begun taking or had a change in dosage of psychotropic medication in the past six weeks
• do not achieve baseline stability