A Comparison Between Internet Therapy and Group Therapy for Social Phobia - A Trial Using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Social phobia is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders in the western world. Cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is the psychological treatment that has the largest empirical support. However, the availability to CBT is very limited in Sweden due to lack of therapists with proper training. Therefore it is important to evaluate alternative forms of treatment that are more time efficient. One of these methods is Internet based self-help therapy, which has proven to be an effective treatment for social phobia. To the investigator´s knowledge, no study has yet directly compared live-CBT to Internet therapy. The aim of the present study is to compare the effect of live CBT vs CBT delivered via the Internet. The study is considered to be an equivalence trial. 128 patients will be randomly assigned to one of the two treatment conditions. The primary outcome measure is Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS).

Official Title
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A Comparison Between Internet-based Self-help Therapy and Group Therapy for Social Phobia - A Clinical Equivalence Trial Using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

Conditions
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Social Phobia

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: CBT via the Internet
* Behavioral: CBT group therapy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Must have a primary diagnosis of social phobia Exclusion Criteria: Substance abuse during the last 6 months Other dominating diagnosis (not phobic personality disorder) A history of bipolar disorder or psychosis Major depression according to DSM-IV and >20 on madrs-s Risk of suicide Start of medication or change of dosis during the last 2 months Other parallel psychological treatment Previous CBT (last 3 years) for social phobia

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 16 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Treatment
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: 1<br>CBT via the Internet | Behavioral: CBT via the Internet<br>* 15 weeks, patients learn about CBT primarily thru a self-help book published on teh Internet, Minimal therapy contact via e-mail(10 minutes/week),<br>|
| Experimental: 2<br>15 weeks, CBT group therapy, 1 session/week (2.5 hours). | Behavioral: CBT group therapy<br>* 15 weeks, 1 session/week, (2,5 hours.)<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) |  |  | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| SIAS, SPS,QOLI,MADRS-S, BAI,ASI,CGI, WQ, GAF, TIC-P, SSP |  |  |