LONG-TERM OUTCOME OF COGNITIVE THERAPYS CONTRIBUTION TO SELF-EXPOSUREIN-VIVO TO THE TREATMENT OF GENERALIZED SOCIAL PHOBIA

The aim of this work was to test the contribution of cognitive therapy to exposure in vivo in the group treatment of generalized social phob ia. Seventy-one severely disabled social phobics, selected according t o DSM-III-R criteria, were assigned at random to: (a) self-exposure in vivo, (b) self-exposure in vivo with cognitive therapy, or (c) a wait ing-list control group. A multigroup experimental design with repeated measures of assessment (pretreatment, posttreatment, and 1-, 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-ups) was used. Additionally, half of the patients in both therapeutic groups were given self-help manuals for managing a nxiety. Most patients that were treated (64%) showed significant impro vement at the 12-month follow-up, but there were no differences betwee n the two therapeutic modes. No improvement was shown by the control-g roup participants at the 6-month follow-up. The results of the present trial do not support the beneficial effects of adding cognitive thera py or a self-help manual to exposure alone. Finally several topics tha t may contribute to future research in this field are discussed.