Behavioral Experiments in Cognitive Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder
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Background: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a highly prevalent and chronic psychiatric disorder associated with considerable psychosocial impairment. While the efficacy of cognitive therapy (CT) has been well established for SAD in several randomized controlled trials, there are still large differences between trials with respect to effect sizes. The present study investigates the question whether the enhanced training and use of behavioral experiments (BEs) increases the efficacy of traditional CT, based on verbal methods of cognitive restructuring. The present CBT trial will be the first to clarify the contribution of BEs to the efficacy of CT in a randomized controlled design. Study results are relevant to clinical training and implementation of evidence-based treatments. |
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Methods and design: A mixed within/between conditions design will be applied, with random allocation of therapists to one of two conditions: (1) training of CT plus BEs, (2) training of CT “as usual”. 60 patients with the primary diagnosis of SAD will be recruited and treated in the outpatient clinic of the Department of Psychology, University of Frankfurt. To assure adherence to protocol of therapist, all therapists will be trained and supervised by the project coordinators. In addition, videotaped treatment sessions will be evaluated by independent raters to assure adherence to protocol and quality of intervention. Treatment effects will be assessed by independent ratings of SAD symptoms, using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale as primary outcome measure and self-report measures as secondary outcome measures. Trial registration: German Clinical Trials Register International Clinical Trials Registry Platform (ICTRP) identifier: DRKS00014349. This study is funded by institutional resources. Principal Investigator: Prof. Dr. Ulrich Stangier |
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