Enhancing motivation in socially anxious individuals through mental imagery

The Efficacy of Prospective Mental Imagery in Enhancing Approach Motivation Among Socially Anxious Individuals: A Randomized Controlled Trial

NA · Philipps University Marburg · NCT06977087

This study is testing if an online program using mental imagery can help people with social anxiety feel more motivated and engaged in facing their fears.

Quick facts

PhaseNA
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment58 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorPhilipps University Marburg (other)
Locations1 site (Marburg)
Trial IDNCT06977087 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This study examines an online intervention designed to improve approach motivation and behavioral engagement in socially anxious individuals. Participants will receive psychoeducation and then be assigned to either a prospective mental imagery task or a verbal reasoning task. The effectiveness of the intervention will be assessed based on participants' ratings of pleasure, motivation, and engagement with feared social situations one week later. The goal is to determine if mental imagery can enhance motivation to confront anxiety-inducing scenarios.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals with elevated social anxiety who score above 6 on the Mini-Social Phobia Inventory and avoid specific social situations.

Not a fit: Patients who do not experience significant social anxiety or who are not willing to engage in exposure tasks may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could help socially anxious individuals engage more effectively with feared social situations, potentially reducing their anxiety.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown that mental imagery can enhance motivation and engagement in various contexts, suggesting potential success for this approach in treating social anxiety.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* Elevated score on Mini-Social Phobia Inventory (Mini-SPIN) \> 6
* Moderate fear and avoidance of two specified social situations (i.e., giving a stranger a compliment and asking for a restaurant recommendation), each rated above 5 on a Likert scale ranging from 0 (not at all) to 10 (extremely), respectively
* Avoidance of the two specified social situations (i.e., giving a stranger a compliment and asking for a restaurant recommendation), indicated by not having engaged in either behaviors in the past 7 days

Where this trial is running

Marburg

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.

View on ClinicalTrials.gov →

Conditions: Social Anxiety, Social Phobia

Last reviewed 2026-05-15 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.