Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41673248›Full record

Trial reportScientific reports2026

Effects of change in dysfunctional beliefs and self-esteem in avatar-based cognitive therapy for symptoms of social anxiety disorder: a randomized parallel trial.

Nicolina Laura Peperkorn, Julia Ohse, Janosch Fox, Sarah Limberg, Bakir Hadžić, Matthias Rätsch, Jan-Niklas Voigt-Antons, Michael Witthöft, Youssef Shiban

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in Scientific reports, 2026. 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. Trial
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

9 authors.

Nicolina Laura PeperkornClinical Psychology Department, PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Weender Landstraße 3-7, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0008-9481-9354
Julia OhseClinical Psychology Department, PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Weender Landstraße 3-7, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0005-3344-4753
Janosch FoxClinical Psychology Department, PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Weender Landstraße 3-7, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-2450-5003
Sarah LimbergClinical Psychology Department, PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Weender Landstraße 3-7, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.
Bakir HadžićViSiR, Reutlingen University, Alteburgstraße 150, 72762, Reutlingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0009-0003-1197-7255
Matthias RätschViSiR, Reutlingen University, Alteburgstraße 150, 72762, Reutlingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8254-8293
Jan-Niklas Voigt-AntonsHSHL Hochschule Hamm-Lippstadt, Marker Allee 76-78, 59063, Hamm-Lippstadt, Germany.
Michael WitthöftFaculty of Psychology, Ruhr University Bochum, Massenbergstraße 9-13, 44787, Bochum, Germany. michael.witthoeft@rub.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0002-4928-4222
Youssef ShibanClinical Psychology Department, PFH Private University of Applied Sciences, Weender Landstraße 3-7, 37073, Göttingen, Germany.ORCID https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6281-0901

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Social anxiety is both highly prevalent and debilitating, with dysfunctional beliefs playing a crucial role in its persistence. This randomized controlled trial examined whether a remote avatar-based intervention for restructuring dysfunctional beliefs was associated with changes in social anxiety symptoms in a sample with subclinical social anxiety disorder (SAD). Data from N = 235 participants who completed all study stages were included in the analyses. While participants in the intervention group were tasked with contradicting their personal dysfunctional beliefs verbalized by the avatar, participants in the control group contradicted nonsense statements uttered by the avatar. Three sessions took place over three consecutive days. Data collection occurred pre-, post-intervention, and at a 14-days-follow-up. A significant group x time interaction effect (F(1, 233) = 4.106, p < .05) indicates a stronger SAD symptom reduction within the intervention group in comparison to the control group. Post-hoc analysis revealed a medium effect size for symptom reduction in the intervention group (d = 0.57) and a small effect size for the control group (d = 0.34). An additional linear multiple regression analysis identified that increased self-esteem (B = - 0.56, p < .001) was associated with reductions in SAD symptoms. An increase in dysfunctional social phobia cognitions was associated with an increase in SAD symptoms (B = 0.175, p = .021). Avatar-based cognitive restructuring was associated with reductions in SAD symptoms in a subclinical sample. Changes in self-esteem and social phobia-related cognitions were also associated with symptom changes, but causal relationships cannot be inferred from this study design.

Indexed as

AvatarCognitive Behavioral TherapyPhobia, SocialSelf ConceptAdultFemaleHumansMaleTreatment OutcomeYoung AdultAvatar therapyCognitive therapyDigital interventionDysfunctional beliefsSocial anxiety disorderSocial phobia symptomsSubclinical social anxiety disorder

Identifiers

PMID41673248
PMCPMC12901003

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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.