Building Closer Friendships in Social Anxiety Disorder

This study assesses whether a 4-week computerized intervention can be used to decrease fear of intimacy, and loneliness and improve perceived social support in people with Social Anxiety Disorder.

This study hopes to assess whether a month long computerized intervention aimed at giving people skills to form closer friendships. Participants will be randomized into an active treatment condition or a wait list control. We hypothesize that 1) participants in the treatment condition will have lower fear of intimacy at post treatment than those in the waitlist condition 2) participants in the treatment condition will have lower levels of loneliness than those in the waitlist condition 3) participants in the treatment condition will have higher perceived social support than those in the waitlist condition.

Participants will be randomized into active treatment or waitlist control, so they will be aware of the condition they are in.

Participants will continue as usual and will be given the option to receive the active treatment after completion of the study

Intervention designed to build social support and reduce loneliness by giving participants skills to strengthen their relationships

Self-report scale that measures perceived levels of social support. Scores range from 12 to 84 with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived social support. The three subscales (friends, family and significant other) all have a range of 4 to 28 with higher scores indicating higher levels of perceived social support.

Change in Perceived Social Support from baseline to post treatment (4weeks) and one month follow up (8 weeks)

self report scale measuring fear of intimacy in friendships. Scores range from 26 to 130 with higher scores indicating a higher level of fear of intimacy.

Change in fear of intimacy from baseline to post treatment (4weeks) and one month follow up (8 weeks)

A 20 item Self report scale measuring loneliness. Scales range from 0 to 60 with higher scores indicating a higher level of loneliness.

Self-report scale that measures Social anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 0 to 68 with higher scores indicating higher levels of social anxiety symptoms.

Change in social anxiety symptoms from baseline to post treatment (4 weeks) and one month follow up (8 weeks)

Self-report measure used to assess overall anxiety symptoms. Scores range from 21 to 84 with higher scores indicating higher levels of overall anxiety.

Change in overall anxiety symptoms from baseline to post treatment (4 weeks) and one month follow up (8 weeks)

Self-report measure used to assess depressive symptoms. Total scores range from 0 to 60 with higher scores indicating a higher level of depressive symptoms.

Change in depression symptoms from baseline to post treatment (4 weeks) and one month follow up (8 weeks)

Self report measure of suicide vulnerability. Total scores range from 15 to 105, with higher scores indicating a higher vulnerability for suicide.

Change in suicide vulnerability from baseline to post treatment (4 weeks) and one month follow up (8 weeks)

Inclusion Criteria: Social Anxiety Disorder Diagnosed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview Social Phobia Inventory Score >19 Stable psychotropic medication for the past month and kept stable for duration of study Exclusion Criteria: Currently participating in therapy Current Substance Dependence Bipolar Disorder or psychotic illness Current suicidality (imminent risk)