NCT03873155

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Group Therapy for Social Anxiety Symptoms in People Living With Alopecia Areata

The Effectiveness of Mindfulness Based Cognitive Group Therapy for Social Anxiety Symptoms in People Living With Alopecia Areata: A Single Group Case Series.

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 6 (actual)
• Sponsor: University of Sheffield · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 16 Years – 99 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study investigates the impact of mindfulness based cognitive therapy (MBCT) on social anxiety in adults with alopecia areata. A single-group case-series design will be adopted.

Detailed description

Alopecia areata (AA) is an immunological disorder which is characterised by round/oval patches of non-scarring hair loss. People living with AA are at higher risk of developing depression, anxiety and social phobia than the general population (Koo et al., 1994; Ruiz-Doblado, Carrizosa, \& García-Hernández, 2003). Interventions that aim to reduce engagement in negative appearance related thoughts, and attentional bias towards negative self-referential information may be helpful for this population. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) offers one potential method of reducing social anxiety in individuals with AA. MBC is a structured eight-week programme that has been recommended by the National Institute of Clinical Excellence as an effective intervention to reduce the risk of relapse in depression since 2009. The main aim of the current study is to investigate whether an MBCT course can reduce social anxiety in individuals with AA. A single-group case-series design will be adopted, whereby participants will act as their own control; data collected from participants during and after they have received the intervention will be compared to data collected before they have received the intervention. Semi-structured interviews will be carried out at the end of the study to investigate participants experiences of the intervention. The investigators predict that MBCT will reduce social anxiety in individuals with AA. More specifically, the hypothesis are: (i) participants will experience an increase in mindfulness during the intervention period, relative to the baseline phase and this will be maintained at follow-up (ii) increases in mindfulness will be associated with decreases in social anxiety, anxiety and depression, and increases in dermatology quality of life.

Conditions

• Alopecia Areata
• Social Anxiety

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Mindfulness Based Cognitive Therapy	Mindfulness based cognitive group therapy (MBCT) is a structured eight-week programme (although an extra introductory week will be added in the current study) that combines mindfulness-based exercises with cognitive therapy.

Timeline

• Start date: 2019-03-14
• Primary completion: 2019-08-20
• Completion: 2019-09-23
• First posted: 2019-03-13
• Last updated: 2019-10-01

Locations

2 sites across 1 country: United Kingdom