Randomized Controlled Trial Investigating the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behaviour Group Therapy Compared to a Waitlist Control in the Treatment of University Students with Social Phobia

Abstract

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Social phobia causes significant impairment in a person’s personal and professional life. However, individually delivered cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) is costly, limited by the number of trained therapists and not scalable to meet the need for such therapy in the population. In this context, cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) is the viable option. Objective was to determine the treatment effectiveness of CBGT as compared to a waitlist control of university students with social phobia. METHOD: A single-blind randomized controlled trial consisting of an 8-week treatment phase of CBGT versus a waitlist control was conducted among university students with social phobia. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale –Self Rated Sinhala version (LSAS-SR) was administered at screening, baseline, four weeks and eight weeks of the trial. A culturally adapted CBGT was delivered in Sinhala to the intervention group by a trained clinical psychologist. RESULTS: Thirty university students (15 in each arm) with a mean age of 22, meeting DSM IV criteria for Social Anxiety Disorder were included. Repeated measure analysis of the total scores of the LSAS-SR in the CBGT arm showed statistically significant (p<0.001) reduction in the total scores (13.3) as compared to the waitlist arm after controlling for age and gender. CONCLUSION: CBGT is superior to waitlist control in university students with social phobia.