Assessing The Efficacy Of A Self-Administered Treatment For Social Anxiety Disorder In The Form Of A Gamified Mobile Application

ASU Author/Contributor (non-ASU co-authors, if there are any, appear on document)
Daniel Lewis George (Creator)
Institution
Appalachian State University (ASU )
Web Site: https://library.appstate.edu/
Advisor
John Paul Jameson

Abstract: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is not only highly prevalent and impairing, but vastly undertreated. Because effective treatments exist for SAD but are not reaching many with the disorder, this study set out to determine whether a purely self-guided intervention could be made more effective through two novel mechanisms: (a) delivery of the treatment on a mobile smartphone; and (b) the gamification of the treatment. Utilizing a single-subject multiple baseline across participants design, the treatment was evaluated on a sample of undergraduate students (N = 10) who endorsed significant social anxiety. Participants completed assessments every four days during both baseline phase and treatment phases. Seven of ten participants completed all measures and were used in the final analysis. At the study’s conclusion, these participants showed a statistically significant mean decrease of 13, 95% CI [2.05, 23.94], t(7) = 2.907, p = .027, d = 1.461 on the BFNES, and a statistically significant mean decrease of 24.58, 95% CI [4.69, 44.46], t(7) = 3.024, p = .023, d = 1.288 on the LSAS-SR. Participants showed no statistically significant changes on the K10 or WHOQOL. These results suggest that this application may be effective as a stand-alone treatment for SAD.

Additional Information

Publication
Thesis
George, D. (2018). "Assessing The Efficacy Of A Self-Administered Treatment For Social Anxiety Disorder In The Form Of A Gamified Mobile Application." Unpublished Master’s Thesis. Appalachian State University, Boone, NC.
Language: English
Date: 2018
Keywords
mHealth, eHealth, Social anxiety, Mobile technology, Psychotherapy

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