Variations of Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

NCT ID: NCT00948974

Last Updated: 2018-10-05

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 88 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2010-01-31
• Study Completion Date: 2015-12-31

Brief Summary

The purpose of this study is to compare the efficacy of two variants of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) (cognitive therapy (CT) and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)), for the treatment of generalized social anxiety disorder.

Detailed Description

We are recruiting a clinical sample of patients who meet diagnostic criteria (per DSM-5) for the generalized subtype of social anxiety disorder. Participants are randomly assigned to the two active intervention conditions; no placebo or sham treatments will be employed. Assessments take place at baseline, pre-treatment, mid-treatment, post-treatment, and at 3- and 12-months follow-up; participants also complete a brief weekly assessment of functioning. Treatment is administered individually by trained graduate students in clinical psychology, directly trained and supervised by the PI and Co-PI. Participants receive 12 weekly 1-hour long sessions. The study design is a 2 (treatment condition) by 5 (assessment occasion) mixed factorial design.

Conditions

Social Anxiety Disorder

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: TREATMENT
• Blinding Strategy: NONE

Study Groups

cognitive therapy

cognitive therapy and exposure

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Cognitive Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Cognitive therapy (CT) highlights the identification and reappraisal of distorted or dysfunctional cognitions in the treatment of psychopathology. For example, socially anxious patients are taught to identify the thoughts and underlying beliefs that trigger strong emotional reactions (e.g., "if I attempt to initiate a conversation I'll humiliate myself"), and then replace these with more accurate, functional thoughts. There is a large body of research supporting the efficacy of CT for mood and anxiety disorders, and for social anxiety disorder in particular (Beck, 2005).

acceptance and committment therapy

acceptance and commitment therapy and exposure

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

ACT does not attempt to modify cognitions directly, but rather seeks to foster a mindful acceptance of whatever thoughts or feelings arise, while still pursuing specific behavioral goals. For example, the individual would be taught simply to notice the thoughts as if from a distance without attempting to modify them, and initiate a conversation. Like other newer mindfulness and acceptance-based models of CBT, ACT also expands the traditional focus on symptom reduction to include an emphasis on broader life goals. The scientific literature on ACT has expanded rapidly over the past ten years. Recent reviews conclude that it appears to be at least as effective as CT, and may work at least in part via distinct treatment mechanisms (Powers, Zum Vörde Sive Vörding, \& Emmelkamp, 2009).

Interventions

Cognitive Therapy

Cognitive therapy (CT) highlights the identification and reappraisal of distorted or dysfunctional cognitions in the treatment of psychopathology. For example, socially anxious patients are taught to identify the thoughts and underlying beliefs that trigger strong emotional reactions (e.g., "if I attempt to initiate a conversation I'll humiliate myself"), and then replace these with more accurate, functional thoughts. There is a large body of research supporting the efficacy of CT for mood and anxiety disorders, and for social anxiety disorder in particular (Beck, 2005).

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Acceptance and Commitment Therapy

ACT does not attempt to modify cognitions directly, but rather seeks to foster a mindful acceptance of whatever thoughts or feelings arise, while still pursuing specific behavioral goals. For example, the individual would be taught simply to notice the thoughts as if from a distance without attempting to modify them, and initiate a conversation. Like other newer mindfulness and acceptance-based models of CBT, ACT also expands the traditional focus on symptom reduction to include an emphasis on broader life goals. The scientific literature on ACT has expanded rapidly over the past ten years. Recent reviews conclude that it appears to be at least as effective as CT, and may work at least in part via distinct treatment mechanisms (Powers, Zum Vörde Sive Vörding, \& Emmelkamp, 2009).

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Other Intervention Names

CT; ACT

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Clinically diagnosable social anxiety disorder (generalized subtype per DSM-IV-TR criteria)
• aged 18-65
• working fluency in English
• residence in the greater Philadelphia area.

Exclusion Criteria

• Pervasive developmental disability
• acute suicide potential
• inability to travel to the treatment site
• schizophrenia or other psychotic disorder
• current substance dependence
• Comorbid diagnoses of Major Depressive or other mood or anxiety disorders are acceptable ONLY if clearly secondary to the diagnosis of social anxiety disorder.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 65 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Drexel University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

James Herbert

Investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

James D. Herbert, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Drexel University

Locations

Drexel University

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Countries

United States

Other Identifiers

18345

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id