Guided and unguided self-help for social anxiety disorder: randomised controlled trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Internet-delivered self-help programmes with added therapist guidance have shown efficacy in social anxiety disorder, but unguided self-help has been insufficiently studied.

AIMS:

To evaluate the efficacy of guided and unguided self-help for social anxiety disorder.

METHOD:

Participants followed a cognitive-behavioural self-help programme in the form of either pure bibliotherapy or an internet-based treatment with therapist guidance and online group discussions. A subsequent trial was conducted to evaluate treatment specificity. Participants (n = 235) were randomised to one of three conditions in the first trial, or one of four conditions in the second.

RESULTS:

Pure bibliotherapy and the internet-based treatment were better than waiting list on measures of social anxiety, general anxiety, depression and quality of life. The internet-based therapy had the highest effect sizes, but directly comparable effects were noted for bibliotherapy augmented with online group discussions. Gains were well maintained a year later.

CONCLUSIONS:

Unguided self-help through bibliotherapy can produce enduring improvement for individuals with social anxiety disorder.

• Authors: Tomas Furmark, Per Carlbring, Erik Hedman, Annika Sonnenstein, Peder Clevberger, Benjamin Bohman, Anneli Eriksson, Agneta Hållén, Mandus Frykman, Annelie Holmström, Elisabeth Sparthan, Maria Tillfors, Elisabeth Nilsson Ihrfelt, Maria Spak, Anna Eriksson, Lisa Ekselius, Gerhard Andersson
• Journal: The British journal of psychiatry : the journal of mental science (Br J Psychiatry) Vol. 195 Issue 5 Pg. 440-7 (Nov 2009) ISSN: 1472-1465 [Electronic] England
• PMID: 19880935 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Topics

• Adult
• Aged
• Bibliotherapy (methods)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (methods)
• Female
• Humans
• Internet
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Phobic Disorders (therapy)
• Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
• Self Care (methods)
• Shyness
• Telemedicine (methods)
• Therapy, Computer-Assisted (methods)
• Treatment Outcome
• Young Adult