ArticleJMIR research protocols2025
A Freely Accessible, Anonymous Online Treatment for Social Anxiety: Protocol for a Partially Randomized Patient Preference Trial.
Article in JMIR research protocols, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT06465589 (PRIVATE - Preference Research), which is not on this map. Cited by 1 paper.
What it found
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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.
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.
PRIVATE - Preference Research: Investigating Variations of Anonymity, Transparency, and Efficacy in Digital Health Applications
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMany people with mental health problems do not receive the care they need. Digital mental health interventions have been shown to be effective in many trials and offer a promising way to reach more people in need. However, their uptake and use remain limited, in part due to concerns about data privacy. However, these concerns may not be equally significant for all users.
objectiveThis trial aims to evaluate the efficacy of an anonymous online self-help tool for social anxiety that processes no personal data and has some disadvantages in terms of usability compared to an otherwise identical, nonanonymous evidence-based tool. Furthermore, the trial will investigate user preferences regarding the 2 program versions and evaluate the impact of these preferences on treatment outcomes.
methodsIn this partially randomized patient preference trial, 2 versions (anonymous vs nonanonymous) of the same previously researched program will be compared among 452 participants with increased levels of social anxiety. Half of the participants will be randomized to one of the program versions, whereas the other half will be assigned to their preferred version. The primary outcome is social anxiety symptoms. Secondary outcomes include depression, stigma of mental illness, and quality of life.
resultsRecruitment started in September 2024. As of the date of manuscript submission in May 2025, over 350 participants have been included in the study. Recruitment ended in September 2025, and results are expected to be available and published in 2026.
conclusionsThe results of this trial will determine whether anonymously accessible interventions, which could easily be made freely available, are less efficacious than their nonanonymous counterparts and will explore the impact of user preferences on treatment outcomes. The findings could contribute to making digital interventions more accessible and tailoring interventions to individual preferences.
trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT06465589; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT06465589. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT IDENTIFIER (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/77573.
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