VR exposure therapy versus sertraline for social anxiety in teens

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This single-site, preference-allocated study at Kocaeli University will enroll 56 adolescents and young people with diagnosed social anxiety disorder and compare two treatment approaches: therapist-led virtual reality exposure sessions using a headset, and oral sertraline medication. Participants choose the treatment they prefer and then receive that intervention according to standardized protocols over the study period. The primary outcome is reduction in social anxiety symptoms using validated clinical scales, with secondary outcomes including daily functioning, treatment acceptability, and safety measures. The goal is to determine whether VR exposure can be an effective and acceptable alternative to pharmacological treatment in this age group.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

Inclusion Criteria:

* RESEARCH ARM:

  1. Applied to Kocaeli University Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic
  2. Have normal intelligence based on clinical observation
  3. Be between 12 and 17 years of age
  4. Have a diagnosis of SAD
  5. Have refused medication recommended for SAD
  6. For SAD; are not currently receiving medical treatment
  7. Have received written consent to participate in the study from them and/or their first-degree relatives authorized to make decisions about them
  8. Have volunteered to participate in the study through an invitation poster presentation

CONTROL ARM:

1 Applied to Kocaeli University Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic 2. Have normal intelligence based on clinical observation 3. Be between 12 and 17 years of age 4. Have a diagnosis of SAD 5. Have refused medication recommended for SAD 6. For SAD; are not currently receiving medical treatment 7. Have obtained written informed consent to participate in the study from them and/or their first-degree relatives authorized to make decisions about them 8. Have volunteered to participate in the study through an invitation poster presentation

CONTROL ARM:

1 Applied to Kocaeli University Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Outpatient Clinic 2. Have normal intelligence based on clinical observation 3. Be between 12 and 17 years of age 4. Have a diagnosis of SAD 5. For SAD; Not currently receiving medical treatment 6. Volunteer 7. Written consent for participation in the study must be obtained from the patient and/or their first-degree relative authorized to make decisions about them.

8\. Accept sertraline treatment, routinely used in outpatient clinic follow-ups for SAD, and volunteer for the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

RESEARCH ARM:

1. Substance use disorder
2. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
3. Autism spectrum disorder
4. Cognitive disability
5. Neurological disorder
6. Balance disorder
7. Patients who have received SSRI treatment for SAD in the last 6 months

CONTROL ARM:

1. Substance use disorder
2. Schizophrenia and bipolar disorder
3. Autism spectrum disorder
4. Cognitive disability
5. Patients who have received SSRI treatment for SAD within the last 6 months -

Where it's running

• Kocaeli University Hospital - Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
  Kocaeli, Turkey (Türkiye) Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Nursu Çakın Memik, MD, Prof. — Kocaeli University, Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
• Study coordinator: Emine Kayış, MD
• Email: eminekanmaz@gmail.com
• Phone: +905557452890

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.