Cognitive Biases Modification Treatment for Social Anxiety (CBMSP)

Adults with Social Phobia will be randomly assigned to either an attention bias modification treatment, interpretation bias modification treatment, both, or a placebo control condition not designed to change cognitive bias patterns. Outcome measures will be social anxiety symptoms and severity as measured by gold standard questionnaires as well as diagnosis of social phobia disorder and symptom counts derived from structured clinical interviews based on DSM-IV criteria. The investigators expect to find significant reduction in social anxiety symptoms in the Treatment groups relative to the placebo control group. The investigators want to find out the relative efficacy of attention and interpretation oriented treatments and the combination of the two.

attention bias modification treatment, interpretive bias modification, cognitive bias modification, attention training, social anxiety

repeated trials of a dot-probe task and repeated trials of an interpretation task, both not intended to change threat-related biases patterns.

Attention training via repeated trials of a dot-probe task intended to direct attention away from threat stimuli.

Attention training using a computerized spatial attention task (dot-probe) modified to alter threat-related attention patterns.

Interpretive Bias Modification Treatment (IBMT) using a computerized task modified to facilitate a more benign interpretation bias.

Attention and interpretation training using a computerized tasks not intended to alter threat-related biases patterns.

Attention and interpretation training via computerized tasks intended to direct attention away from threat stimuli and to facilitate a more benign interpretation bias.

LSAS is a 24-items clinician-administered scale developed for the assessment of fear and avoidance associated with social. The LSAS assesses a wide range of both social interaction and performance/observation situations, which are rated for degree of fear/anxiety and frequency of avoidance.

Expected time frame of 6 weeks per participant. Participants will be assessed before and after the administration of the training/control protocols

The Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) is a short diagnostic structured interview (DSI) developed to explore 17 disorders according to Diagnostic and Statistical Manual diagnostic criteria (DSM)

expected time frame of 6 weeks per participant. Participants will be assessed before and after the administration of the training/control protocols

Inclusion Criteria: People suffering from social anxiety Exclusion Criteria: Pharmacological or Psychological treatment