A COMPARISON OF SOCIAL PHOBIA OUTCOME MEASURES IN COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL GROUP-THERAPY

This article reports the effects of a cognitive-behavioral group thera py program for social phobia (N = 25 outpatients) on several psychomet ric measures. It is the first study to simultaneously examine three ne wer and promising social-phobia measures: the Social Phobia Scale (SPS ) and accompanying Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS), the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI), and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS). More traditional measures of social phobia were also in cluded, along with measures of anxious and depressed mood. Among the n ewer scales, the SPAI and SPS/SIAS were found to have good sensitivity to treatment. There was limited support for the LSAS. Intercorrelatio ns among all of the outcome measures are presented both before and aft er cognitive-behavioral therapy. Strengths and weaknesses of each of t he newer social-phobia measures are discussed.