Cognitive-behavioral therapy modifies the naturalistic course of social anxiety disorder: findings from an ABA design study in routine clinical practices.

Abstract

AIMS:

While randomized evidence appears to have established efficacy of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and some pharmacotherapy for social anxiety disorder (SAD), their real-world effectiveness has been called into question by long-term naturalistic cohort studies of patients with SAD as they show very low probability of recovery and sustained social dysfunctions despite some drug and psychological therapies.

METHOD:

The present study examines the effectiveness of group CBT for SAD in real-world settings (n=62) by examining the course of patients' symptomatology and social functions through approximately 6 months on the waiting list, through 6 months receiving the manualized group CBT intervention consisting of 16 2-h sessions, and for 12 months after the treatment.

RESULTS:

We found: (i) that the patients with SAD changed little or possibly worsened through the 6 months on the waiting list, although two in three of them were on antidepressants, benzodiazepines or both; (ii) that both their symptomatology and social function improved significantly and substantively through the group CBT; and (iii) that this improvement was maintained through the 3- and 12-month follow ups.

CONCLUSIONS:

We can implement and must disseminate evidence-based, effective CBT for more patients with SAD to lessen their suffering and stop the perpetuation of their symptoms.

• Authors: Toshi A Furukawa, Yumi Nakano, Tadashi Funayama, Sei Ogawa, Tetsuji Ietsugu, Yumiko Noda, Junwen Chen, Norio Watanabe, Tatsuo Akechi
• Journal: Psychiatry and clinical neurosciences (Psychiatry Clin Neurosci) Vol. 67 Issue 3 Pg. 139-47 (Apr 2013) ISSN: 1440-1819 [Electronic] Australia
• PMID: 23581864 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)
• Copyright: © 2013 The Authors. Psychiatry and Clinical Neurosciences © 2013 Japanese Society of Psychiatry and Neurology.

Chemical References

• Antidepressive Agents
• Psychotropic Drugs
• Benzodiazepines

Topics

• Adult
• Age of Onset
• Antidepressive Agents (therapeutic use)
• Benzodiazepines (therapeutic use)
• Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (methods)
• Cohort Studies
• Depression (psychology)
• Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Phobic Disorders (complications, psychology, therapy)
• Psychotropic Drugs (therapeutic use)
• Research Design
• Surveys and Questionnaires
• Treatment Outcome