Completed

Social Phobia: Assessment and Treatment of Social Skills

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What is being tested

Social Skills Training

+ Exposure Treatment

+ Placebo

Behavioral
Who is being recruted

Phobia, Social+1

+ Anxiety Disorders

+ Mental Disorders

Over 18 Years
See all eligibility criteria
How is the trial designed

Treatment Study

Placebo-Controlled
Interventional
Study Start: December 2002
See protocol details

Summary

Principal SponsorMilton S. Hershey Medical Center
Last updated: January 14, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Study start date: December 1, 2002

Actual date on which the first participant was enrolled.

Social phobia is a debilitating condition that can cause severe social, emotional, educational, and occupational functioning problems. Evidence suggests that individuals with social phobia are deficient in social skills, but the exact skills deficits have not been elucidated. This study will comprise two substudies: one will examine social skills deficits in social phobics and determine how they differ from those of people without social phobia; the other will determine if skills deficits in social phobics can be improved and whether improvements will affect overall social functioning. Participants in this study will be randomly assigned to one of three groups for 16 weeks: an exposure group, a social skills training and exposure (SET) group, or a wait-list control group. Interviews, self-reports, and simulated role plays will be used to assess the social skills of participants.

Official TitleSocial Phobia: Assessment and Treatment of Social Skills 
NCT00073333
Principal SponsorMilton S. Hershey Medical Center
Last updated: January 14, 2026
Sourced from a government-validated database.Claim as a partner

Protocol

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.
Design Details

379 patients to be enrolled

Total number of participants that the clinical trial aims to recruit.

Treatment Study

These studies test new ways to treat a disease, condition, or health issue. The goal is to see if a new drug, therapy, or approach works better or has fewer side effects than existing options.



Eligibility

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria: person's general health condition or prior treatments.
Conditions
Criteria

Any sex

Biological sex of participants that are eligible to enroll.

Over 18 Years

Range of ages for which participants are eligible to join.

Healthy volunteers allowed

If individuals who are healthy and do not have the condition being studied can participate.

Conditions

Pathology

Phobia, SocialAnxiety DisordersMental DisordersPhobic Disorders

Criteria

Inclusion Criteria: * Diagnosis of Social Phobia Exclusion Criteria: * Axis II diagnosis of schizoid or schizotypal personality disorder or paranoia * Axis II diagnosis of mental retardation, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and personality disorders, except for avoidant personality disorder * Instability on any antidepressants * Psychotic disorder

Study Plan

Find out more about all the medication administered in this study, their detailed description and what they involve.
Treatment Groups
Study Objectives

3 intervention groups are designated in this study

33.333% chance of being blinded to the placebo group

Treatment Groups

Group I

Active Comparator
Social skills training and exposure

Group II

Active Comparator
Exposure treatment

Group III

Placebo
Placebo

Study Objectives

Primary Objectives

Secondary Objectives

Study Centers

These are the hospitals, clinics, or research facilities where the trial is being conducted. You can find the location closest to you and its status.

This study has 1 location

Suspended

Penn State Milton S. Hershey Medical Center

Hershey, United StatesSee the location
CompletedOne Study Center