Table 1 Session content for the SAD internet-based self-help program
Session | Intervention content |
|---|---|
Session 1 Motivational enhancement | Reasons to initiate change, defining goals and recoding introspection of difficult social situations with help of an anxiety protocol |
Session 2 Psychoeducation | Information on SAD and maintaining factors such as negative thoughts, safety behaviors and self-focused attention |
Development of an individual model for SAD | |
Session 3 Cognitive restructuring | Identification and modification of negative thoughts (dysfunctional assumptions) with the help of a thought diary |
Session 4 Fear of positive (social) evaluation | Information about FPE (examples and explanatory models) |
Identifying FPE using a diary | |
Recognizing the devaluation of own achievements, the benefit and the risks of positive evaluation using a diary | |
Endorsing positive evaluations and emotions applying a self-compassion-interventions | |
Session 5 Self-focused attention | Various exercises to reduce self-focused attention |
Session 6 Behavioral experiments | Planning and conducting in-vivo exposures |
Session 7 Summary and revision | Summary of the key elements of the training |
Highlighting the importance of revising the exercises (e.g. in-vivo exposure) | |
Session 8 Healthy lifestyle and problem solving | Information about healthy lifestyle (e.g. sports, nutrition) |
Conveying problem solving skills | |
Session 9 Relapse prevention | Strategies to maintain the acquired skills |
Preparing for possible relapses |