Online social anxiety programme showed a delayed benefit in adolescents
SOPHIE showed no significant symptom reduction immediately after the programme. An overall result favoring SOPHIE emerged later, while subgroup findings remain uncertain.
Based on the published abstract. The full paper may contain additional methods, results and limitations.
The 30-second takeaway
Among adolescents with diagnosed or below-diagnostic-threshold social anxiety, SOPHIE did not significantly reduce symptoms immediately after the programme compared with usual care. An overall benefit emerged later. The below-threshold subgroup had a significant follow-up result, while the diagnosed group did not; this does not establish a difference in programme effects between those subgroups.
The abstract contains inconsistent confidence intervals for subgroup and social-functioning results. It also omits absolute symptom changes, limiting interpretation of the standardized overall effect.
What researchers found
SOPHIE versus usual care
At 5-month follow-up, d = 0.67 means a difference of 0.67 standard deviations favoring SOPHIE (95% CI 0.32–1.02). The 8-week symptom comparison was nonsignificant.
Understanding standardized symptom differences
The reported d measures group separation in standard-deviation units, which express differences relative to variability in scores. It does not represent symptom points or the proportion who improved. Absolute symptom changes are unavailable in the abstract.
Support needs varied
Interviewed participants described benefits, but some found exposure exercises challenging and wanted more support. These experiences help explain programme use. They do not resolve uncertain subgroup comparisons or the inconsistent reporting of social-functioning results.
The original publication
Prevention and treatment of social anxiety disorder in adolescents: mixed method randomised controlled trial of the guided online intervention SOPHIE.
Walder N, Berger T, Hürzeler D et al.
Sci Rep · 2025
- PubMed ID
- 40646113
- Record checked
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