• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.111-122
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to develop a computer-based cognitive bias modification program (CBM-I) and to test the efficacy of CBM-I for college students with social anxiety. Forty socially anxious individuals were randomly assigned to the CBM-I(n=21) or a waiting list condition(n=19). Both groups were assessed at the beginning and the end of the program with interpretation bias and social anxiety symptoms(e.g. B=FNE=Brief-Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, LSAS=Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale). The CBM-I modified interpretation by providing positive feedback when participants made benign interpretations and negative feedback in response to threat interpretations. Participants in CBM-I completed three computer sessions over three weeks. The CBM-I successfully decreased social anxiety symptoms compared to the control condition(t=2.35, p<.05; t=4.70, p<.001). This result suggests that interpretation modification may have clinical utility when applied as a multi-session intervention.