Videoconferencing-delivered cognitive behavioural therapy for social anxiety disorder: a randomised controlled trial

Videoconferencing-delivered cognitive behaviour therapy (vCBT) has the potential to overcome barriers to accessing treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD). The present study examines the efficacy and acceptability of vCBT for SAD in a randomised controlled trial. Seventy-eight participants were randomised to a vCBT condition or waitlist control group (61.8% female, 34.2% male, 3.9% non-binary; Mage = 39.19, SD = 12.28). On the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale and Social Phobia Scale-short form (SIAS-6; SPS-6), vCBT within-group analyses indicated large effect sizes from pre-treatment to post-treatment on the SIAS-6 (Cohen's d = 0.95; 95% CI: 0.45-1.41) and SPS-6 (d = 0.90; 95% CI: 0.41-1.37). The between-group effect size at post-treatment was large on the SPS-6 (d = 1.01; 95% CI: 0.51-1.47) and medium on the SIAS-6 (d = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.09-1.00). At post-treatment, 57% of participants in the vCBT condition no longer met criteria for SAD and 68% at 3-month follow-up. Benchmarking analyses indicated similar treatment effect sizes to in-person CBT for SAD. Participants rated the program as acceptable and treatment completion rates were high. The results suggest that vCBT may be a viable remote treatment option for individuals with SAD.