Single-Session Psychoeducation for Social Anxiety Mental Health Literacy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Lele Feng; Jiaqi Deng; Yiming Qin; Liechuan Cui; Xiaoyu Zhuang; Xinfeng Tang

doi:10.1177/10497315261455809

Single-Session Psychoeducation for Social Anxiety Mental Health Literacy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Lele Feng (Co-first author)
, Jiaqi Deng (Co-first author)
, Yiming Qin
, Liechuan Cui
, Xiaoyu Zhuang
, Xinfeng Tang^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Academy of Wellness and Human Development

Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › peer-review

Abstract

Purpose: This randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the effectiveness of a three-hour intervention on mental health literacy and symptoms of social anxiety among university students. Methods: A total of 86 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 43) or a waitlist control group (n = 43). Assessments were completed at pretest (T1), posttest (T2), one-month follow-up (T3), and three-month follow-up (T4). Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant improvements in mental health literacy, including increased knowledge (d_T2 = 2.19, d_T3 = 1.46, d_T4 = 1.29), reduced stigma (d_T2 = –0.94, d_T3 = –0.99, d_T4 = –0.71), and more positive help-seeking attitude (d_T2 = 0.59, d_T3 = 0.44). However, no significant change was observed in social anxiety symptoms. Discussion: The single-session psychoeducational intervention effectively enhanced university students’ mental health literacy related to social anxiety. However, it did not significantly change social anxiety symptoms.

Original language	English
Number of pages	11
Journal	Research on Social Work Practice
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1177/10497315261455809
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 3 Jun 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

User-Defined Keywords

help-seeking attitudes
mental health literacy
social anxiety
stigma

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10.1177/10497315261455809

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title = "Single-Session Psychoeducation for Social Anxiety Mental Health Literacy: A Randomized Controlled Trial",

abstract = "Purpose: This randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the effectiveness of a three-hour intervention on mental health literacy and symptoms of social anxiety among university students. Methods: A total of 86 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 43) or a waitlist control group (n = 43). Assessments were completed at pretest (T1), posttest (T2), one-month follow-up (T3), and three-month follow-up (T4). Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant improvements in mental health literacy, including increased knowledge (dT2 = 2.19, dT3 = 1.46, dT4 = 1.29), reduced stigma (dT2 = –0.94, dT3 = –0.99, dT4 = –0.71), and more positive help-seeking attitude (dT2 = 0.59, dT3 = 0.44). However, no significant change was observed in social anxiety symptoms. Discussion: The single-session psychoeducational intervention effectively enhanced university students{\textquoteright} mental health literacy related to social anxiety. However, it did not significantly change social anxiety symptoms.",

keywords = "help-seeking attitudes, mental health literacy, social anxiety, stigma",

author = "Lele Feng and Jiaqi Deng and Yiming Qin and Liechuan Cui and Xiaoyu Zhuang and Xinfeng Tang",

note = "The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and the Research Funds of Renmin University of China (grant number 22XNKJ27). Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2026",

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T1 - Single-Session Psychoeducation for Social Anxiety Mental Health Literacy

T2 - A Randomized Controlled Trial

AU - Feng, Lele

AU - Deng, Jiaqi

AU - Qin, Yiming

AU - Cui, Liechuan

AU - Zhuang, Xiaoyu

AU - Tang, Xinfeng

N1 - The authors disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, and the Research Funds of Renmin University of China (grant number 22XNKJ27). Publisher Copyright: © The Author(s) 2026

PY - 2026/6/3

Y1 - 2026/6/3

N2 - Purpose: This randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the effectiveness of a three-hour intervention on mental health literacy and symptoms of social anxiety among university students. Methods: A total of 86 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 43) or a waitlist control group (n = 43). Assessments were completed at pretest (T1), posttest (T2), one-month follow-up (T3), and three-month follow-up (T4). Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant improvements in mental health literacy, including increased knowledge (dT2 = 2.19, dT3 = 1.46, dT4 = 1.29), reduced stigma (dT2 = –0.94, dT3 = –0.99, dT4 = –0.71), and more positive help-seeking attitude (dT2 = 0.59, dT3 = 0.44). However, no significant change was observed in social anxiety symptoms. Discussion: The single-session psychoeducational intervention effectively enhanced university students’ mental health literacy related to social anxiety. However, it did not significantly change social anxiety symptoms.

AB - Purpose: This randomized controlled trial aimed to examine the effectiveness of a three-hour intervention on mental health literacy and symptoms of social anxiety among university students. Methods: A total of 86 participants were randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 43) or a waitlist control group (n = 43). Assessments were completed at pretest (T1), posttest (T2), one-month follow-up (T3), and three-month follow-up (T4). Results: Compared with the control group, the intervention group showed significant improvements in mental health literacy, including increased knowledge (dT2 = 2.19, dT3 = 1.46, dT4 = 1.29), reduced stigma (dT2 = –0.94, dT3 = –0.99, dT4 = –0.71), and more positive help-seeking attitude (dT2 = 0.59, dT3 = 0.44). However, no significant change was observed in social anxiety symptoms. Discussion: The single-session psychoeducational intervention effectively enhanced university students’ mental health literacy related to social anxiety. However, it did not significantly change social anxiety symptoms.

KW - help-seeking attitudes

KW - mental health literacy

KW - social anxiety

KW - stigma

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JO - Research on Social Work Practice

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ER -

Single-Session Psychoeducation for Social Anxiety Mental Health Literacy: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Abstract

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