Can a simple text message ease social anxiety in veterans?
NCT ID NCT05996419
First seen Jun 24, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026 · Updated 1 time
Summary
This pilot study tested a text-message intervention to help veterans with social anxiety reduce 'safety behaviors' — things like avoiding eye contact or rehearsing sentences — that get in the way of work and social life. 23 veterans in a work therapy program received text prompts every other day for 30 days asking them to monitor these behaviors. The goal was to see if this approach is feasible and might reduce anxiety and avoidance, paving the way for a larger study.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only — not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- text-message self-monitoring prompts
- What this could lead to
- If effective, this simple text-based approach could offer a low-cost way to help veterans with social anxiety reduce avoidance behaviors and improve daily functioning.
- What could go wrong
- This is a very small pilot study (23 people) with no control group, so results may not be reliable or generalizable. The intervention is brief (30 days) and may not produce lasting change.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
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Ralph H. Johnson VA Medical Center, Charleston, SC
Charleston, South Carolina, 29401-5703, United States
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