iExposure Intervention for Social Anxiety

Testing the Role of Attentional and Audio Vocal Mechanisms in a New Internet- Based Intervention for Social Anxiety: iExposure

Social anxiety (SA) is a highly prevalent mental health concern, thought to disproportionately affect youth with recent international estimates of more than 30% of individuals reporting clinically elevated symptoms. Despite the prevalence of SA, as few as one in five individuals receive care, due to limited access to evidence-based treatments. Additionally there has been a notable increase in social anxiety since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. This proposal will use iExposure to develop a personalized mechanism-focused approach to optimizing treatment response for individuals with social anxiety by testing standard iExposure against two augmentations that incorporate distinct attention mechanisms (attention guidance and attention control).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age 18 or older
• Fluent in English
• Leibowitz Social Anxiety Scale > 47 and endorses both social anxiety items on the Web Screening Questionnaire for Common Mental Disorders

Exclusion Criteria:

• Currently receiving CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder
• Significant visual impairment precluding engagement in the simulated teleconferencing interactions
• Unstable dose of psychotropic medications within 6 weeks prior to baseline assessment
• Current alcohol or substance use disorder
• Current or past bipolar disorder or psychosis