Initial Evaluation of a Culturally Responsive Cognitive-Behavioral Intervention for Social Anxiety in Black Adolescents

Background: Evidence-based interventions for child and adolescent anxiety disorders are widely accepted as effective. Yet, few have been evaluated with racially and ethnically minoritized youth or tailored to address potentially relevant sociocultural risk and protective factors. Objective: To help address this gap, we evaluated the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes of a newly developed cultural adaptation of an existing school-based intervention for social anxiety disorder. Method: Eleven Black high school students participated in the adapted intervention, referred to as Interacting and Changing Our Narratives. Results: Feasibility and acceptability were supported by high student attendance and satisfaction ratings. Following the intervention, students showed reductions in social anxiety severity and the majority were rated as treatment responders. Conclusions: Findings provide initial support for Interacting and Changing Our Narratives as a feasible and culturally responsive school-based intervention for Black adolescents with social anxiety disorder, though controlled trials with larger samples and longer-term follow-ups are needed.