A web-based university study for the management of social anxiety

Would You Like To Participate?

Do anxieties about social situations cause you to feel stressed or low in mood and self-esteem?

I’m currently conducting post-graduate research at the University of Leeds (UK) into a psychological intervention which has been shown to improve symptoms such as those listed above.

This project takes place over 4-weeks and involves just 30-minutes of your time on 3-days in week 1, in weeks 2-3 you don’t have to do anything, and in week 4 just 30-minutes on one day, that’s it.

All you have to do is complete a questionnaire and a simple task over the internet and carry out the intervention 3 times in week 1.

This is a very important project and is an opportunity to be involved with some new and beneficial research.

If you decide to take part please reply to:
Stephen Harwood Email: psc6sch@leeds.ac.uk

If you are interested in taking part or in finding out more information please contact me on the above email.

All you need to take part is yourself, a small amount of time and an internet connection, class English as your first language and be one of the following nationalities:

American, Australian, British, Canadian, Irish, New Zealand or South African.

Thanks,
Stephen

Recruitment Ends Once Sufficient Replies Received

Can you please provide more info about confidentiality etc as well

What results can members expect etc?

Hi Nicola,

Confidentiality. This will be 100% (it's explained in more detail in the participant information sheet sent to anyone interested) as each person is asked to create a unique I.D number from 4 questions i.e. 3rd and 5th letters of surname, 4th number of birthday etc at the start of the study. This is then used every time they complete any information so no one is able to identify any individual’s responses. All data is kept encrypted with a password only I and my supervisor (Dr Daryl O'Conner, University of Leeds) have access to and deleted once the report has been written.

Results. Those involved will be completing a well established social anxiety questionnaire, completing a word computerized sorting task (words relating to anxiety/relaxation). The intervention is a written disclosure about a past event. They complete this on the same topic three times at home and emailed to myself - again 100% unidentifiable. The benefits are a greater understanding of how social effects their lives, insights into their thoughts and feelings and based on past research improvements in mood and a greater sense of interaction and self-efficacy through taking part (the study is conducted from their home over the internet so social distress should be very low). No individual data will be included in the final report and a copy can be sent to everyone involved.

The study has been given full ethically clearance by the University of Leeds and British Psychological Society.

If you require any further information please email and I'll be happy to help.

Thanks,
Stephen

email being sent asap :)

Does anyone know if this study is going ahead, is it ok to take part in this? Thanks.

Hi Lucy,

Yes the study is going ahead. It starts Monday, if you’re interested post me an email to the above address and I’ll send you an Information Sheet, and Consent Form to complete and return if you want to take part.

All the best,
Stephen

psc6sch@leeds.ac.uk

I have already done that bit??

Hi Lucy,

If you've returned the Consent Form to my email (please could you email me to make sure, I don't have a record of forum names, just email and name) then I'm sending out instructions on Monday; these will instruct you how to participate in the study and how to generate your I.D number.

I'll also send your writing instructions for 'Day 1' at the same time, with 'Day 2' and 'Day 3' emailed each consecutive day. I hope that answers your question ok, if not let me know.

Thanks,
Stephen