Don't ask, don't tell: a systematic review of the extent to which participant characteristics are reported in social anxiety treatment studies

Social anxiety is a prevalent problem that affects many people with varying severity; digital exposure therapy-which involves controlled exposure to simulations of feared social situations alongside cognitive restructuring-can help treat patients with anxieties. However, the need to personalize exposure scenarios and simulate audiences are barriers to treating social anxieties through digital exposure. In this paper, we propose game streaming as an exposure therapy paradigm for social anxiety, supporting it with data from two studies. We first propose a framework describing requirements for exposure therapy and how game streaming can fulfill them. We select demand and performance visibility from these characteristics to showcase how to manipulate them for experiences of gradual exposure. With Study 1, we provide evidence for these characteristics and support for the framework by showing that a game's demand affected expected fear of streaming games. In Study 2, we show that the prospect of streaming led to elevated fear, a necessary property for effective exposure therapy. Further, we show that the effect of streaming on expected fear was similar for participants who can be considered socially anxious. These findings provide evidence for the essential effect of exposure therapy, which serves as a first step towards the validation of streaming as a social anxiety treatment. Our paper provides an initial, important step towards a novel, broadly applicable, and widely accessible digital approach for the treatment of social anxiety.

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Psychosocial interventions for adults with visible differences: A systematic review

10.7287/peerj.preprints.617 ◽

2014 ◽

Author(s):

Alyson Norman ◽

Timothy P Moss

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Social Anxiety ◽

Psychosocial Adjustment ◽

Psychosocial Intervention ◽

Experimental Studies ◽

Psychosocial Interventions ◽

Skills Training ◽

Sufficient Evidence ◽

Inclusion Criteria ◽

Randomised Controlled

Background: Some individuals with visible differences have been found to experience psychosocial adjustment problems that can lead to social anxiety and isolation. Various models of psychosocial intervention have been used to reduce social anxiety and appearance related distress in this population. The objective of this review was to update a previous systematic review assessing the efficacy of psychosocial intervention programs for adults with visible differences. The original review (Bessell & Moss, 2007) identified 12 papers for inclusion. Methods: A search protocol identified studies from 13 electronic journal databases. Methods: Studies were selected in accordance with pre-set inclusion criteria and relevant data were extracted. Results: This update identified an additional four papers that met the inclusion criteria. Two papers provided very limited evidence for the efficacy of a combined cognitive-behavioural and social skills training approach. None of the papers provided sufficient evidence for the optimal duration, intensity or setting of psychosocial interventions for this population. Discussion: The review concluded that a greater number of Randomised Controlled Trials and experimental studies were required to increase the methodological validity of intervention studies.

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The effect of self-imagery on symptoms and processes in social anxiety: A systematic review

Clinical Psychology Review ◽

10.1016/j.cpr.2014.09.003 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 34 (8) ◽

pp. 620-633 ◽

Cited By ~ 23

Author(s):

Ashlen S. Ng ◽

Maree J. Abbott ◽

Caroline Hunt

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Social Anxiety

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Impact of PCSK9 monoclonal antibodies on circulating hs-CRP levels: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials

BMJ Open ◽

10.1136/bmjopen-2018-022348 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 8 (9) ◽

pp. e022348 ◽

Cited By ~ 20

Author(s):

Ye-Xuan Cao ◽

Sha Li ◽

Hui-Hui Liu ◽

Jian-Jun Li

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Treatment Duration ◽

Randomised Controlled Trials ◽

Familial Hypercholesterolaemia ◽

Meta Analysis ◽

Cochrane Library ◽

Controlled Trials ◽

Participant Characteristics ◽

Hs Crp ◽

Randomised Controlled

ObjectiveTo evaluate the potential effects of proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9 monoclonal antibody (PCSK9-mAb) on high-sensitivity C reactive protein (hs-CRP) concentrations.DesignA systematic review and meta-analysis of randomised controlled trials.Data sourcesPubMed, MEDLINE, the Cochrane Library databases, ClinicalTrials.gov and recent conferences were searched from inception to May 2018.Eligibility criteria for selecting studiesAll randomised controlled trials that reported changes of hs-CRP were included.ResultsTen studies involving 4198 participants were identified. PCSK9-mAbs showed a slight efficacy in reducing hs-CRP (−0.04 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.17 to 0.01) which was not statistically different. The results did not altered when subgroup analyses were performed including PCSK9-mAb types (alirocumab: 0.12 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.18 to 0.43; evolocumab: 0.00 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.07 to 0.07; LY3015014: −0.48 mg/L, 95% CI: −1.28 to 0.32; RG7652: 0.35 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.26 to 0.96), treatment duration (≤12w: 0.00 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.07 to 0.07; >12w: −0.11 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.45 to −0.23), participant characteristics (familial hypercholesterolaemia: 0.00 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.07 to 0.07; non-familial hypercholesterolaemia: 0.07 mg/L, 95% CI: −0.12 to 0.26; mix: −0.48 mg/L, 95% CI: −1.28 to 0.32) and treatment methods (monotherapy: 0.00 mg/L, −0.08 to 0.07; combination therapy: −0.08 mg/L, −0.37 to 0.21). Meta-regression analyses suggested no significant linear correlation between baseline age (p=0.673), sex (p=0.645) and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol reduction (p=0.339).ConclusionsOur updated meta-analysis suggested that PCSK9-mAbs had no significant impact on circulating hs-CRP levels irrespective of PCSK9-mAb types, participant characteristics and treatment duration or methods.

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Examining the relationship between shame and social anxiety disorder: A systematic review

Clinical Psychology Review ◽

10.1016/j.cpr.2021.102088 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 102088

Author(s):

Michaela B. Swee ◽

Chloe C. Hudson ◽

Richard G. Heimberg

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Anxiety Disorder ◽

Social Anxiety ◽

Social Anxiety Disorder ◽

The Relationship

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The influence of acute exercise on bone biomarkers: protocol for a systematic review with meta-analysis

Systematic Reviews ◽

10.1186/s13643-020-01551-y ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 9 (1) ◽

Author(s):

E. Dolan ◽

A. Dumas ◽

K. M. Keane ◽

G. Bestetti ◽

L. H. M. Freitas ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Systematic Review ◽

Bone Metabolism ◽

Study Design ◽

Acute Exercise ◽

Exercise Session ◽

Bone Biomarkers ◽

Exercise Interventions ◽

Biomarker Response ◽

Bone Response ◽

Participant Characteristics

Abstract Background Bone is a plastic tissue that is responsive to its physical environment. As a result, exercise interventions represent a potential means to influence the bone. However, little is currently known about how various exercise and participant characteristics interact to influence bone metabolism. Acute, controlled, interventions provide an in vivo model through which the acute bone response to exercise can be investigated, typically by monitoring circulating bone biomarkers. Currently, substantial heterogeneity in factors such as study design, quality, exercise, and participant characteristics render it difficult to synthesize and evaluate the available evidence. Using a systematic review and meta-analytic approach, the aim of this investigation is to quantify the effect of an acute exercise bout on circulating bone biomarkers as well as examine the potential factors that may moderate this response, e.g., variation in participant, exercise, and sampling characteristics. Methods This protocol was designed in accordance with the PRISMA-P guidelines. Seven databases (MEDLINE, Embase, Sport Discus, Cochrane CENTRAL, PEDro, LILACS, and Ibec) will be systematically searched and supplemented by a secondary screening of the reference lists of all included articles. The PICOS (Population, Intervention, Comparator, Outcomes and Study Design) approach was used to guide the determination of the eligibility criteria. Participants of any age, sex, training, or health status will be considered for inclusion. We will select studies that have measured the bone biomarker response before and after an acute exercise session. All biomarkers considered to represent the bone metabolism will be considered for inclusion, and sensitivity analyses will be conducted using reference biomarkers for the measurement of bone resorption and formation (namely β-CTX-1 and P1NP). Multi-level, meta-regression models within a Bayesian framework will be used to explore the main effect of acute exercise on bone biomarkers as well as potential moderating factors. The risk of bias for each individual study will be evaluated using a modified version of the Downs and Black checklist while certainty in resultant outcomes will be assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach. Discussion A better understanding of the bone metabolic response to an acute bout of exercise has the potential to advance our understanding of the mechanisms through which this stimulus impacts bone metabolism, including factors that may moderate this response. Additionally, we will identify current gaps in the evidence base and provide recommendations to inform future research. Systematic review registration This protocol was prospectively registered in the Open Science Framework Registry (https://osf.io/6f8dz)

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