Questions about Eligibility
I have other mental health concerns that do not include fear in social situations or appearance concerns. Can I still get treatment?
No unfortunately we are only able to accept individuals with SAD or BDD symptoms for this study. However, most of our participants report other mental health concerns, which are secondary to their SAD or BDD symptoms. Please see our resources page for information about other treatment options and other studies. Click here!
Can I get treatment without doing the brain scans?
No. To participate, you must be willing to complete all brain scans.
How do I know if I am eligible?
We will schedule a thorough phone screen to go through all of the questions we have about your eligibility. Afterwards, someone from our team will reach out to schedule the first screening visit. Check out our eligibility page here!
I don’t have social anxiety or appearance concerns. Can I still participate?
Yes! We are recruiting participants without these concerns for our control group. The inclusion criteria are listed here!
Questions about Participation
Is this in person? Do I need to come in every single visit?
For certain study visits, we require in-person attendance but we do have an online zoom alternative for study visits, including some treatment sessions. All fMRI scan sessions must be completed in-person at our imaging center (same location as treatment sessions).
Can I stop participating at any point?
If for any reason you no longer wish to continue the treatment or study sessions, you can stop participating at any point without penalty and we will still prorate your compensation for the study.
Will I get to pick my therapist? Will I have different therapists?
You will not be able to pick your therapist. You will have one therapist assigned to work with you throughout the 12 sessions.
How often will I need to participate?
If you are part of our clinical group, you will be involved in 14 visits, roughly once a week for 3.5 months. If you are part of our healthy control group, you will participate in 4 visits throughout the 3.5 months. More information about our study design can be found here!
How can I get to the UW? Do you cover parking?
There are dozens of bus routes that stop right by campus that include but are not limited to teh 372, 48, 44, 65, 542, and more! The Light Rail also has two stops on the UW campus that stop at the University of Washington Stadium as well as the U District Station.
We also have a free parking spot available for our participants to use during the study visit. Instructions on how to find this spot will be provided by our research coordinator prior to the visit.
What does treatment involve?
Individuals will address their social fears and/or appearance concerns through cognitive behavioral therapy by providing specialized skills to reduce symptoms like fear and anxiety, repetitive mirror checking, and avoidance of social situations.
Questions about Eligibility
Will I be compensated?
Yes! For non-treatment procedures you will be compensated for up to $430 as well as an image of your brain scan as requested. You will receive a digital Tango gift card where you will be able to select how to cash out the gift card. Check out the catalog to see what retailers are available: Rewards Catalog | Tango Gift Card List (tangocard.com)
When will I be compensated?
We typically send 2 gift cards throughout the study. The first gift card will be sent after completing the screening, baseline, and repeat baseline visits. The second gift card will be sent out after the final T12 visit after all procedures have been completed. Otherwise if you would prefer to get a single gift card at the end, please let us know!
Do I need to pay for the brain scans?
No! We pay you!
Looking for more answers?
Can’t seem to find the information you need or have other questions? Reach out to us over email or give us a call!