Treatment Of Social Anxiety Disorder Research Articles

Guided and unguided internet-delivered psychodynamic therapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is highly prevalent and debilitating disorder. Treatments exist but are not accessible and/or helpful for all patients, indicating a need for accessible treatment alternatives. The aim of the present trial was to evaluate internet-delivered psychodynamic therapy (IPDT) with and without therapist guidance, compared to a waitlist control condition, in the treatment of adults with SAD. In this randomized, clinical trial, we tested whether IPDT was superior to a waitlist control, and whether IPDT with therapeutic guidance was superior to unguided IPDT. Participants were recruited nationwide in Sweden. Eligible participants were ≥ 18 years old and scoring ≥ 60 on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale self-report (LSAS-SR) whilst not fulfilling any of the exclusion criteria. Included participants were randomly assigned to IPDT with guidance (n = 60), IPDT without guidance (n = 61), or waitlist (n = 60). The IPDT intervention comprised eight self-help modules based on affect-focused dynamic therapy, delivered over 8 weeks on a secure online platform. The primary outcome was SAD symptoms severity measured weekly by the LSAS-SR. Primary analyses were calculated on an intention-to-treat sample including all participants randomly assigned. Secondary outcomes were depressive symptoms, generalized anxiety, quality of life, emotion regulation and defensive functioning. At post-treatment, both active treatments were superior to the waitlist condition with guided treatment exhibiting larger between group effects than unguided treatment (d = 1.07 95% CI [0.72, 1.43], p < .001 and d = 0.61, 95% CI [0.25, 0.98], p = .0018) on the LSAS-SR respectively. Guided IPDT lead to larger improvements than unguided IPDT (d = 0.46, 95% CI [0.11, 0.80], p < .01). At post-treatment, guided IPDT was superior to waitlist on all secondary outcome measures. Unguided IPDT was superior to waitlist on depressive symptoms and general anxiety, but not on emotion regulation, self-compassion or quality of life. Guided IPDT was superior to unguided PDT on depressive symptoms, with a trend towards superiority on a measure of generalized anxiety. At six and twelve month follow-up there were no significant differences between guided and unguided IPDT. In conclusion, IPDT shows promising effects in the treatment of SAD, with larger benefits from guided IPDT compared to non-guided, at least at post-treatment. This finding increases the range of accessible and effective treatment alternatives for adults suffering from SAD. The study was prospectively registered at ClinicalTrials (NCT05015166).

Informing the treatment of social anxiety disorder with computational and neuroimaging data

Informing the treatment of social anxiety disorder with computational and neuroimaging data

Fear of negative and positive evaluation as mediators and moderators of treatment outcome in social anxiety disorder

IntroductionElevated fear of negative evaluation (FNE) and fear of positive evaluation (FPE) are thought to play key roles in the maintenance of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Although efficacious therapies exist for SAD, the potential mediating and moderating effects of FNE and FPE on social anxiety treatment outcome have not been examined. MethodsThis sample comprised a secondary analysis of 210 individuals who participated in one of three randomized controlled trials for the treatment of SAD. Participants were randomized to: individual cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), group CBT, community mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR), group MBSR, or they were randomized to waitlist and offered treatment after waitlist. Assessments were completed pre- and post-treatment/waitlist and, for the treatment groups, at three-month follow-up. ResultsCBT and MBSR led to greater reductions in FNE and FPE than waitlist, with CBT more efficacious in reducing FPE than MBSR. For both CBT (vs. waitlist) and MBSR (vs. waitlist), there were significant indirect effects on post-treatment social anxiety through both FNE and FPE, and the indirect effect through FPE was greater for CBT than MBSR. However, in the fully longitudinal model testing mediation, CBT and MBSR were not differentially mediated by FPE. Baseline FNE and FPE each moderated CBT treatment outcome compared to waitlist – higher baseline FNE and FPE were associated with higher baseline social anxiety and greater reductions in social anxiety during CBT. DiscussionFNE and FPE contributed in sometimes similar and sometimes distinct ways to the mediation and moderation of psychosocial approaches for treating SAD. This supports the importance of distinguishing between fears of negative and positive evaluation in the assessment and treatment of SAD.

Unveiling Social Anxiety: Analyzing Acoustic and Linguistic Traits in Impromptu Speech within a Controlled Study

Early detection and treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is crucial. However, current diagnostic methods have several drawbacks, including being time-consuming for clinical interviews, susceptible to emotional bias for self-reports, and inconclusive for physiological measures. Our research focuses on a digital approach using acoustic and linguistic features extracted from participants’ “speech” for diagnosing SAD. Our methodology involves identifying correlations between extracted features and SAD severity, selecting the effective features, and comparing classical machine learning and deep learning methods for predicting SAD. Our results demonstrate that both acoustic and linguistic features outperform deep learning approaches when considered individually. Logistic Regression proves effective for acoustic features, while Random Forest excels with linguistic features, achieving the highest accuracy of 85.71%. Our findings pave the way for non-intrusive SAD diagnosing that can be used conveniently anywhere, facilitating early detection.

Mediation of social anxiety and depression during internet-delivered treatment for social anxiety disorder

ABSTRACT Many individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have depressive symptoms that meet criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). In our study, we examined the temporal relationship between symptoms of social anxiety and symptoms of depression during the course of an 11-week internet-delivered cognitive behavioral treatment (ICBT) for SAD (n = 170). Specifically, we investigated whether weekly changes in social anxiety mediated changes in depression, changes in depression mediated changes in anxiety, both or neither. In addition, we compared individuals with SAD and MDD (n = 50) and individuals with SAD and no MDD (n = 120) to examine the role of MDD as a moderator of the social anxiety—depression relationship. Lower-level mediational modeling revealed that changes in social anxiety symptoms mediated changes in depression symptoms to a greater extent than vice versa. In addition, mediation among individuals with SAD and MDD was significantly greater compared to individuals with SAD and no MDD. Our findings suggest that ICBT is effective in treating individuals with SAD regardless of comorbid depression, and that focusing ICBT interventions on social anxiety can lead to significant reductions in depression among individuals with SAD.

Interventions Targeting Negative Mental Imagery in Social Anxiety: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Characteristics and Outcomes.

Psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been found to be less effective than for other anxiety disorders. Targeting the vivid and distressing negative mental images typically experienced by individuals with social anxiety could possibly enhance treatment effectiveness. To provide both clinicians and researchers with an overview of current applications, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the possibilities and effects of imagery-based interventions that explicitly target negative images in (sub)clinical social anxiety. Based on a prespecified literature search, we included 21 studies, of which 12 studies included individuals with a clinical diagnosis of SAD. Imagery interventions (k = 28 intervention groups; only in adults) generally lasted one or two sessions and mostly used imagery rescripting with negative memories. Others used eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and imagery exposure with diverse intrusive images. Noncontrolled effects on social anxiety, imagery distress and imagery vividness were mostly large or medium. Meta-analyses with studies with control groups resulted in significant medium controlled effects on social anxiety (d = -0.50, k = 10) and imagery distress (d = -0.64, k = 8) and a nonsignificant effect on imagery vividness. Significant controlled effects were most evident in individuals with clinically diagnosed versus subclinical social anxiety. Overall, findings suggest promising effects of sessions targeting negative mental images. Limitations of the included studies and the analyses need to be considered. Future research should examine the addition to current SAD treatments and determine the relevance of specific imagery interventions. Studies involving children and adolescents are warranted.

Resting state functional connectivity differences following working memory training with massed exposure in individuals with public speaking anxiety

Exposure-based cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is a gold standard treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), but many patients do not gain complete symptom relief. Since fear extinction is central to the effectiveness of exposure within CBT, adjunctive treatments that target neurocognitive systems underlying fear extinction could increase the effectiveness of CBT. Successful fear extinction and cognitive tasks like working memory share neurocognitive substrates. The present study evaluates the neural impact of working memory training (WMT) as an adjunctive CBT treatment by exploring changes in intrinsic network connectivity associated with combining WMT with exposure exercises. The sample included twenty-four adults (Mean Age = 27.42(9.75), 62.5% female) with elevated social anxiety symptoms. Participants completed either a WMT or sham training (ST) condition, followed by a speech-based massed exposure session (WMT+Exp versus ST+Exp). Compared to ST+Exp, WMT+Exp participants exhibited lower connectivity between the default and visual networks and visual and dorsal networks. Lower connectivity between these networks was associated with lower subjective distress at the end of the massed exposure across the whole sample. WMT+Exp completers exhibited unique functional connectivity between the frontoparietal and dorsal attention networks. WM+Exp was associated with a neural connectivity profile involving networks critical to working memory, fear learning, and emotion regulation, as well as emotional and sensory processing functions. Data provisionally point to combined working memory training and exposure facilitating improvement in neural connections useful for benefitting from CBT for SAD.

Cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder in people with bipolar disorder: a case series

BackgroundSocial anxiety disorder increases the likelihood of unfavourable outcomes in people with bipolar disorder. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the first-line treatment for social anxiety disorder. However, people with bipolar disorder have been excluded from the studies that this recommendation is based on. MethodWe completed a case series to obtain initial data on whether CBT is an acceptable, safe, and effective treatment for social anxiety disorder in people with bipolar disorder.ResultsEleven euthymic participants with bipolar disorder attended up to sixteen treatment and three follow-up sessions of CBT for social anxiety disorder. Participants attended on average 95% of the offered CBT sessions. No adverse events were reported. Participants’ mean score on the Social Phobia Inventory decreased from 46.5 (SD 6.6) before the treatment to 19.8 (SD 11.9) at the end of the sixteen-session intervention and further to 15.8 (SD 10.3) by the end of the 3-month follow-up. This degree of improvement is equivalent to the effect observed in studies of CBT for social anxiety disorder in people without severe mental illness.ConclusionsThis case series provides preliminary evidence that CBT is acceptable, safe, and effective for treating social anxiety disorder in people with bipolar disorder during euthymia. A randomized controlled trial is needed to confirm these findings, and to establish whether treatment for social anxiety disorder improves the course of bipolar disorder.

To What Extent is Virtual Reality Therapy Efficient as A Treatment of Social Anxiety Disorder?

The effectiveness of virtual reality therapy as a therapeutic intervention for individuals with social anxiety disorder is investigated in this study. This research was created using a meta-analytical method and a review of several studies and conclusions by prior experts. It seeks to obtain a better knowledge of how virtual reality treatment impacts key symptoms and indications of social anxiety disorder, such as self-esteem and social interaction abilities. It also contributes to the current body of research and advances understanding of virtual reality therapy's potential as a cutting-edge, effective treatment for psychiatric issues. The study also incorporates culturally sensitive adaptations to VR therapies that take into consideration individuals' diverse cultural backgrounds. Additionally, the study looks at VR therapy's cost, flexibility, and economic factors. In conclusion, this research paper offers a thorough grasp of the possible uses and restrictions of virtual reality treatment.

Cognitive Factors in Social Anxiety Disorder and Relevant Interventions

Understanding how social interactions and fear responses affect mental health requires research on cognitive aspects of social anxiety disorder (SAD). SAD could be a substantial factor in a person's emotional, interpersonal, and professional areas of life. By examining cognitive issues, researchers can develop more effective treatments by understanding the biases and thought patterns that can contribute to the emergence and duration of SAD. Previous research focused on cognitive functioning, self-esteem, attentional biases, and the impact of cognitive biases on social interactions. The information-processing model and the cognitive model of SAD, which emphasizes negative interpretations and high expectations of oneself, are the main theories. To improve therapeutic outcomes, studies primarily focused on people with social anxiety across a range of age groups. In looking at different studies done on interventions for SAD, it has been shown that individualized treatment plans had the greatest impact on diminishing SAD symptoms and treating individuals to overcome their anxiety.

Long-Term Outcomes and Cost-Effectiveness of an Internet-Based Self-Help Intervention for Social Anxiety Disorder in University Students: Results of a Randomized Controlled Trial

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is widespread among university students and is associated with high costs for the society. While unguided internet- and mobile-based interventions (IMIs) may have short-term effects in reducing SAD symptoms, evidence for their long-term efficacy and cost-effectiveness is still limited. The aim of this study is to examine the 6-month outcomes of an IMI for university students with SAD. Participants were recruited via mass mails sent to enrolled students and included if they were at least 18 years old, met the diagnostic criteria of SAD in a structured clinical interview for DSM-IV axis I disorders (SCID-I), and provided written informed consent. In a prospective study designed as a two-armed randomized-controlled trial, 200 students (mean age 26.7 years) diagnosed with SAD were randomly assigned to an IMI or a waitlist control (WLC) condition. The IMI consisted of nine weekly sessions based on the cognitive-behavioral treatment model for social phobia by Clark and Wells. The primary outcome was SAD symptom severity assessed via the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). A health economic evaluation from a societal and healthcare perspective examined the costs related to the symptom-free status and quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained. Statistically significant differences in SAD symptom severity previously found at posttreatment favoring the IMI were maintained at a 6-month follow-up [SIAS (Cohen’s d = 0.59 ; 95% CI, 0.30, 0.87) and SPS (Cohen’s d = 0.83 ; 95% CI, 0.54, 1.1)]. From a societal perspective, at a willingness to pay (WTP) of €0, the intervention was found to have a 92% and 93% probability of cost-effectiveness compared with the WLC per symptom-free status and QALY gained, respectively. From a healthcare perspective, the likelihood of cost-effectiveness of the intervention was 97% per symptom-free status at a WTP of €1000 (US$1326) and 96% per QALY gained at a WTP of €6000 (US$7956). This IMI is effective in treating university students with SAD and has an acceptable likelihood of cost-effectiveness compared with WLC from a societal perspective. This intervention can be integrated into university healthcare to reach students with SAD as it is scalable, shows a high probability of cost-effectiveness, and overcomes known treatment barriers. This trial is registered with DRKS00011424.

Changes in Positive and Negative Affect during Acute Psychiatric Treatment in People with Social Anxiety Disorder

People with social anxiety disorder (SAD) experience less positive affect (PA) and more negative affect (NA) than the general population, a pattern more similar to depression than other anxiety disorders. There is a dearth of research assessing whether PA is targeted effectively during treatment, even though this is an important emotional aspect for quality of life. The primary aim of this study was to examine daily changes in self-report PA and NA among a sample of partial hospital program (PHP) patients with SAD. A secondary aim was to examine baseline depression severity as a moderator of daily PA and NA change. Patients were adults ( N = 241 ) diagnosed with SAD seeking treatment at a typically 1–2-week transdiagnostic behavioral health PHP from September 2017 to September 2019. Patients completed (1) the International Positive and Negative Affect Schedule-Short Form (IPANAS-SF) each treatment day to assess affect and (2) the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 Item Version (PHQ-9) at baseline to assess depressive symptoms. Data from the first nine days of treatment were included in analyses: two-level multilevel model (MLM) analyses were used to address study aim 1, and baseline depression severity was added as a moderator to address study aim 2. Patients reported significant decreases in NA but no significant changes in PA over the course of PHP treatment. Additionally, there was no significant evidence of depression moderating NA change; however, depression did moderate PA change. These findings suggest that patients with SAD report significant decreases in NA but no change in PA over transdiagnostic group treatment, with increases in PA being stronger among patients with more severe depressive symptoms. PA captures an important emotional experience for living a fulfilling life, yet CBT-based treatments may not be effectively improving these areas. Future studies targeting PA in SAD treatment can inform whether doing so ultimately improves treatment outcomes for SAD.

Social Anxiety From the Perspective of Affiliation and Status Systems: Intrapersonal Representations and the Dynamics of Interpersonal Interaction

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a highly prevalent and disabling disorder characterized by intrapersonal (self-related) and interpersonal (interaction-related) difficulties. We use the biobehavioral systems of affiliation and status as linchpins connecting intrapersonal and interpersonal bodies of knowledge to frame such difficulties. We suggest that the mismatch in self- and other perceptions contributes to misalignments in interaction patterns, such as reduced alignment (similarity-based complementarity or reciprocity) in affiliative contexts and enhanced alignment (contrastive complementarity) in status-related contexts. Such misaligned interaction patterns affect, in turn, self- and other perceptions of the interacting partners. In SAD, biased intrapersonal constructs and processes contribute to misaligned interpersonal dynamics, which in turn impact intrapersonal constructs, creating a vicious cycle. Future research should seek to combine individual-level and interaction-level data in affiliative and status-based contexts to enhance the understanding and treatment of SAD.

Cognitive and behavioural processes in adolescents with social anxiety disorder

BackgroundA better understanding of the processes that maintain social anxiety disorder (SAD) in adolescents could improve treatment outcomes. This study aimed to establish whether cognitive and behavioural processes known to be important in the maintenance of adult SAD are observed in adolescent populations and whether they are specific to SAD. MethodsWe recruited three groups of adolescents (12-18y): (1) 90 adolescents with a SAD diagnosis, (2) 58 adolescents with an anxiety disorder that was not SAD, and (3) 45 community-based adolescents. Participants completed measures of negative social cognitions, social attitudes, safety behaviours, self-focused attention, and social anxiety, anxiety, and depression symptoms. ResultsThe clinical SAD sample endorsed higher levels of negative social cognitions, attitudes, and safety behaviours compared to both control groups. Self-focused attention was higher in the clinical SAD sample compared to the anxiety clinical control group but not compared to the community control group. ConclusionsThis study provided evidence of SAD-specific mechanisms including negative social cognitions, attitudes and safety behaviours in adolescents. The study did not provide evidence of disorder-specific mechanisms of self-focused attention but this may have been due to methodological limitations. These findings indicate avenues for further research and point to the potential value of Cognitive Therapy for the treatment of adolescent SAD.

Subjective, behavioral and neurobiological effects of cannabis and cannabinoids in social anxiety.

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating disorder, characterized by fear and anxiety in social situations. Evidence suggests that the levels of SAD are rising, in particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors and cognitive-behavioral therapy are effective treatments for SAD. Nevertheless, a significant number of patients do not respond well to these therapeutic options. During the last years, Cannabis and cannabinoid-containing products have been investigated for the treatment of different neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, their efficacy for the treatment of anxiety disorders is still a matter of debate. The purpose of this review was to investigate subjective, behavioral, and neurobiological effects of Cannabis and cannabinoids in social anxiety and SAD. A search in the PubMed database forarticles published between the years of 2003-2023 was conducted. One hundred and seventeen (117) original studies were identified. After the exclusion criteria, eighteen (18) studies were selected. The studies investigated the effects ofthe cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in patients or healthy volunteers submitted to tasks that assessed social anxiety. Results showed that CBD decreases social anxiety, producing an inverted U-shaped curve, with anxiety measurements being reduced at intermediate doses administered orally (300-600 mg), but not at lower or higher doses. THC either reduces (lower doses, 6-7.5 mg) or increases (higher doses) social anxiety measurements. CBD attenuates the anxiogenic effects of THC. The effects of THC and CBD in anxiety are associated to the modulation of fronto-limbic regions. Further clinical trials, conducted with male and female patients and larger cohorts are still necessary to consolidate these results.

Investigation of Cognitive Distortions in Panic Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder and Social Anxiety Disorder.

The aim of this study was to determine the main cognitive distortions observed in panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) and to investigate the impact of cognitive distortions on diagnoses, depression levels, disorder type and severity of anxiety. This study consisted of 150 clinical (50 PD, 50 GAD, 50 SAD) and 91 healthy control participants. A sociodemographic data form, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI), the Dysfunctional Attitudes Scale (DAS), the Cognitive Distortions Scale (CDS) and the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) scales were administered to all participants. It was found that cognitive distortions were higher in individuals with PD, GAD and SAD. The PD, SAD and GAD groups were similar for "catastrophizing", "mindreading", "all or nothing thinking", "overgeneralization", "should statements" and "emotional reasoning". "Personalization", "labeling" and "minimizing or disqualifying the positive" were observed at a higher severity in the SAD group compared to the PD group, and "mental filter" was observed at a higher severity in the GAD group compared to the PD group. Our findings emphasize the need to address cognitive distortions in PD, GAD and SAD treatment. The evaluation of cognitive distortions specific to anxiety disorders is significant in guiding therapy goals and pioneering new research.

Treatment of social anxiety disorder by integrating digital news communication with psychological identification

BackgroundSocial anxiety disorder is a mental illness characterized by anxiety or fear in public or social activities. It often occurs in adolescence or early adulthood and can cause further decline in the patient’s social function. The treatment method for social anxiety disorder mainly focuses on psychological treatment based on the clinical symptoms of patients, supplemented by medication treatment.Subjects and Methods42 patients with social anxiety disorder were divided into a control group and an experimental group, with 21 patients in each group. The control group received duloxetine 60mg/d and conventional psychological treatment. The experimental group received digital news communication and psychological identification treatment on the basis of the control group. After 8 weeks of treatment, the treatment effectiveness of patients were evaluated using the Social Avoidance and Distress (SAD) scale.ResultsThere was no significant difference in the evaluation of the SAD scale between the two groups of patients before treatment (P&gt;0.05); After 8 weeks of treatment, the SAD scale evaluation showed significant differences (P˂0.05), the SAD scale scores of both groups of patients decreased, and the scores of the experimental group were significantly lower than those of the control group (P&lt;0.01).ConclusionsThe combination of drug therapy and psychotherapy has a certain therapeutic effect on patients with social anxiety disorder. On this basis, digital news dissemination and psychological identity therapy can enhance the effectiveness of clinical treatment.

Cognitive-behavioral group teaching on social anxiety disorder of tourism management majors

Background Group Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (GCBT) is the primary psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder. The core concept of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy is manifested in two aspects: cognitive correction and behavioral feedback. Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a chronic mental disorder with a high incidence of negative automatic thinking and negative fear.Subjects and MethodsThis study conducted a controlled experiment between 50 SAD patients and 50 healthy people. Before treatment, 50 SAD patients were surveyed by psychological questionnaires, including social anxiety scale, social support scale, and parenting style questionnaire, to evaluate the thinking style, personality characteristics, and external psychosocial support of SAD patients. After GCBT treatment, SAD patients were again surveyed with a scale and questionnaire within one week to evaluate the degree of symptom improvement and cognitive change. In this study, SPSS23.0 analysis software was used for analysis.ResultsThere were significant differences in thinking style, personality characteristics, social support, and parenting style between SAD patients and the control group (P&lt;0.05). Social anxiety (P=0.03), negative thinking (P=0.03), and fear of negation (P=0.04) were significantly lower in GCBT patients after treatment than before treatment.ConclusionsGCBT treatment can change the symptoms of SAD patients in a long-term and stable manner, which is related to the changes in patients’ cognitive habits. GCBT treatment can improve the negative cognition of SAD patients to reduce their symptoms, and increasing subjective social support and reducing paternity rejection can improve the long-term prognosis of patients with social anxiety.AcknowledgementThe National Social Science Foundation (22XGL021); Guizhou grassroots social governance innovation high-end think tank; the grass-roots governance innovation team for Rural Revitalization of Guizhou Federation of Social Sciences.

Psychosocial therapy models in news media scenarios on adolescents with social anxiety disorders

Background Social anxiety disorder (SAD) among adolescents is a significant mental health concern that can hinder their social and emotional development. This study explores the positive effects of a psychosocial therapy model based on the news media context for treating social anxiety disorder in adolescents.Subjects and Methods A randomized controlled trial design was employed, involving 120 adolescents diagnosed with SAD. Participants were divided into two groups: the intervention group and the control group. The intervention group received the psychosocial therapy model based on the news media context, while the control group received standard treatment. The Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire (SASRQ) and the 3-min Confusion Assessment Scale (3D-CAM) were utilized to assess anxiety levels and cognitive functioning, respectively. Data analysis was conducted using SPSS23.0 software.ResultsThe results indicated significant reductions in anxiety levels within the intervention group compared to the control group (P&lt; 0.05). Furthermore, cognitive functioning, as assessed by the 3D-CAM, showed significant improvement in the intervention group (P&lt; 0.05). Participants in the intervention group reported increased self-confidence, improved social skills, and decreased social anxiety symptoms.Conclusions The psychosocial therapy model based on the news media context demonstrated positive effects in the treatment of social anxiety disorder among adolescents. The findings suggest that incorporating news media scenarios into therapy can enhance the overall treatment outcomes, including anxiety reduction and cognitive improvement. This integrated approach has the potential to positively impact adolescents’ social functioning and emotional well-being. Further research is warranted to validate and expand upon these findings.

Overcoming Social Anxiety: How Virtual Reality and Game-Based Elements are Revolutionizing Patient Therapy.

In this paper, we reflect upon the design process and the game-elements for developing a tool for patients. These reflections are based upon a case in where we developed six different Virtual Reality (VR) scenarios as a combined tool for treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD) for usage within the Danish healthcare system. The core theory for this development is based upon behavioral therapy as a standardized treatment method and the exposure that occur within this. This research is a part of a larger funded project titled VR8, which also contains integration of biofeedback and the application of the practice in where the tool should be applied. The main goal of this paper is to explain the development of the six scenarios, to provide a deeper understanding for the patients on how their anxiety triggers unfolds when exposed to a variety of different scenarios. And to provide a tool for both patients and practitioners to use as an addition to existing treatment methods. The reason for this development is due to (among others) the cost-reduction, time-reduction, heighten of effectivity and user experience in using VR as a tool for treatment compared to regular in-vivo exposure therapy in where the practitioner guides the patient in a physical environment. In this environment a lot of factors can’t be controlled and often results in the patient giving up and abandoning the treatment. With VR it is a controlled and closed environment making it more suitable for the patient to interact and level out their anxiety. The combination of iterative design thinking, filmmaking methods, game-based elements and agile software development are used as the core methods to develop the six scenarios. The six scenarios are developed with the aid of specific game-based elements, such as: mapping, level-design, audio control and remote action triggers.