In collaboration with Payame Noor University and Iran Neuropsychology Association

Document Type : Original article

Authors

1 MA student, Department of clinical psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

2 Associate Professor, Department of Educational Sciences, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

3 Associate Professor, Department of clinical psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran.

Abstract

Introduction: the aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of attentional bias modification ‎ and transcranial stimulation on reducing social anxiety disorder syndrome. Method: In this study a randomized clinical trial design was used. The statistical population included volunteer students with social anxiety syndrome at Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in the academic year 2016-2017. Participants were 30 students who were selected based on the inclusion and exclusion criteria in the study and were randomly divided into two experimental groups (modification of attentional bias and transcranial stimulation) and a control group. Before and after the intervention, all of them completed a social phobias inventory and their reaction time to attention bias tasks was collected. Data were analyzed by covariance model. Results: the results indicate that both methods of intervention compared to the control group significantly reduced the symptoms of social anxiety disorder and bias towards negative emotional stimuli and increased attention to positive emotional stimuli. There was no significant difference between the two intervention methods. Conclusion: The findings of the present study emphasize the need to pay attention to and use new therapeutic approaches in the face of social anxiety disorder. Applied implications were discussed.

Keywords

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