Internet-Based Versus Face-to-Face Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Control...

Area of Science:

• Psychology
• Mental Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Face-to-face mental health services faced challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic.
• Internet-based interventions offer a potential solution to overcome treatment barriers.
• Limited research exists on the effectiveness of these methods for social anxiety disorder in diverse cultural contexts and developing nations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effectiveness and applicability of Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (iCBT) for social anxiety disorder (SAD) in Iran.
• To compare iCBT with traditional face-to-face therapy and a wait-list control group.

Main Methods:

• A pretest-posttest follow-up experimental design was employed.
• Fifty-four adolescents with SAD from Lorestan province, Iran, were cluster sampled and randomly assigned to three groups: face-to-face, iCBT, and wait-list control.
• Participants completed assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and 3-month follow-up.

Main Results:

• Both face-to-face and iCBT interventions significantly reduced social phobia, fear of negative evaluation, and social interaction anxiety.
• Both groups showed increased emotion regulation and significant reductions in secondary outcomes like physical symptoms, insomnia, social dysfunction, and depression.
• Treatment effects remained stable at the 3-month follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Internet-based cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective treatment for adolescents with social anxiety disorder.
• While effective, clinical, cultural, and implementation challenges associated with iCBT in this population need careful consideration.
• The findings support the use of iCBT as a viable alternative or supplement to traditional therapy, particularly in resource-limited settings.