Internet-Based Interventions for Social Anxiety Disorder – an Overview

• Internet-based interventions hold specific advantagesand disadvantages in the treatment of social anxiety disorder(SAD). The present review examines different approachesin the internet-based treatment of SAD and reviewstheir efficacy and effectiveness. At least 21 studies investigated the potential of guided and unguided internetbasedcognitive-behavioral treatments (ICBT) for SAD,comprising a total of at least N = 1,801 socially anxious individuals.The large majority of these trials reported substantialreductions of social anxiety symptoms through ICBTprograms. Within effect sizes were mostly large and comparisons to waitlist and more active control groupswere positive. Treatment gains were stable from 3months to 5 years after treatment termination. In conclusion, ICBT is effective in the reduction of social anxietysymptoms. At the same time, not all participants benefit from these treatments to a sufficient degree. Future research should focus on what makes these interventions work in which patient populations, and at the same time,examine ways to implement internet-based treatment inthe routine care for socially anxious patients.

Ämnesord

SAMHÄLLSVETENSKAP  -- Psykologi (hsv//swe)

SOCIAL SCIENCES  -- Psychology (hsv//eng)

Nyckelord

internet-based

intervention

social anxiety disorder

SAD

Psychology

psykologi

Publikations- och innehållstyp

ref (ämneskategori)

kon (ämneskategori)