Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40251626›Full record

ArticleTrials2025

Intensive 7-day internet-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy for social anxiety disorder: study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Kayla R Steele, Emily Upton, Monique Holden, Amy Regan, Matthew J Coleshill, Sophie Li, Amy E Joubert, Alison E J Mahoney, Michael Millard, Jill M Newby

Abstract readClinical Trial Protocol
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Trials, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Kayla R SteeleSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Emily UptonBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Monique HoldenBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Amy ReganSchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Matthew J ColeshillBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Sophie LiBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Amy E JoubertBlack Dog Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia.
Alison E J MahoneyThe Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, St Vincent'S Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Michael MillardThe Clinical Research Unit for Anxiety and Depression, St Vincent'S Hospital, Sydney, Australia.
Jill M NewbySchool of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia. j.newby@unsw.edu.au.

Funding

National Health and Medical Research Council 2008839Perpetual IPAP2021/1669
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundSocial anxiety disorder (SAD) is a serious mental health disorder that when left untreated can lead to significant social, occupational, educational, and functional impairment. Cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is the recommended first-line psychological treatment for SAD and has been shown to be efficacious in face-to-face and online formats. However, treatment is lengthy, and many people drop out prematurely. Pilot research suggests that brief intensive internet CBT (iCBT) for SAD is feasible and acceptable, but further evaluation using randomised controlled trials (RCT) is needed.

methodsA RCT to evaluate the acceptability, feasibility, and efficacy of an intensive 7-day iCBT program for adults diagnosed with SAD (with or without comorbid major depressive disorder) in comparison to a waitlist control (WLC) is currently in progress. Eligible participants will be randomised to an intervention or WLC group. Participants allocated to the intervention will complete 6 iCBT modules over 7 days, with CBT skills practice each day, and clinician guidance provided remotely by telephone and email. Participants allocated to the WLC will be given access to the program after a 6-week waiting period. All participants will complete assessments at baseline, 2 weeks and 6 weeks post-baseline. Outcome measures will assess for social anxiety (SIAS, SPS), depression (PHQ-9), personality (LPFS, PID-5-BF), and functioning (WSAS). Intention-to-treat linear mixed model analyses will be used to evaluate primary and secondary outcomes. DISCUSSION: Previous findings from a pilot trial showed that 7-day iCBT is feasible and acceptable to clients with SAD. Based on these findings, we expect the treatment group will improve significantly on measures of symptoms of social anxiety, depression, and functional impairment compared to the WLC, and these improvements will be sustained at 1-month follow-up. If demonstrated to be effective in this RCT, intensive 7-day iCBT for SAD is a novel way to deliver CBT more quickly, with potential to reach more clients and reduce drop-out rates. It has great potential to provide rapid symptom improvement to individuals with SAD.

trial registrationThis trial was prospectively registered with the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry on March 1, 2022 (ACTRN12622000361707).

Indexed as

Cognitive Behavioral TherapyInternet-Based InterventionPhobia, SocialTherapy, Computer-AssistedAdultFeasibility StudiesFemaleHumansInternetMaleRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicTime FactorsTreatment OutcomeAnxiety disordersCognitive behavioural therapyIntensive treatmentInternet- and mobile-based interventionInternet cognitive behavioural therapyRandomised controlled trialSocial anxiety disorder

Identifiers

PMID40251626
PMCPMC12007370

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.