Self-Compassion Enhanced CBT vs. Standard CBT for Social Anxiety (SCE-CBT) (SCE-CBT)

A Randomized Controlled Trial on the Efficacy of Self-Compassion Enhanced CBT vs. Standard CBT for Social Anxiety

This study evaluates the addition of a self-compassion training in the treatment of social anxiety disorder. Half of the participants will receive a self-compassion enhanced group cognitive-behavioral therapy, while the other half will receive standard group cognitive-behavioral therapy.

There is growing evidence showing that shame is associated with social anxiety. Also, empirical data shows that individuals with social anxiety have higher levels of shame compared with healthy individuals and that shame might play an important role in the maintenance of social anxiety symptoms. Although cognitive-behavioral therapy for social anxiety seems to reduce the level of shame-proneness, the magnitude of this reduction is a small one. The purpose of this study is to test whether adding a self-compassion component (which seems to be effective in reducing shame feelings) to a cognitive-behavioral protocol would increase the efficacy of the treatment in reducing both shame-proneness and social anxiety symptoms compared with a standard cognitive-behavioral intervention.

Group Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy for social anxiety enhanced with exercises targeting self-compassion

12 group sessions of CBT for social anxiety based on Heimberg & Becker's (2002) protocol with additional self-compassion exercises integrated into the treatment

(1) baseline; (2) weekly for 11 weeks starting with the second week of treatment (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment) ; (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in social anxiety symptoms using SIAS (Social Interaction Anxiety Scale; Mattick & Clarke, 1998)

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in shame-proneness using TOSCA-3 (Test of Self-Conscious Affect-3; Tangney, Dearing, Wagner, & Gramzow, 2000)

(1) baseline; (2) after 3, 6, 9 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of the treatment

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2)at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

(1) baseline; (2) weekly for 11 weeks starting with the second week of treatment (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in positive and negative affect using PANAS (Positive and Negative Affect Schedule; Watson & Clark, 1999)

(1) baseline; (2) weekly for 11 weeks starting with the second week of treatment (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in positive and negative emotions using PDA (Profile of Affective Distress; Opriș & Macavei, 2005)

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in irrational and rational thinking using ABS-II (Attitudes and Beliefs Scale- 2; DiGiuseppe, Leaf, Exner, & Robin, 1988)

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in emotion regulation using DERS (Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale; Gratz & Roemer, 2004)

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in rational and irrational beliefs using GABS (General Attitudes and Beliefs Scale; Bernard, 1998)

(1) baseline; (2) after 6 weeks from the start of the treatment; (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Changes in social phobia related thoughts using BFNE (Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale; Leary, 1983)

(1) baseline; (2) weekly for 11 weeks starting with the second week of treatment (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

(1) baseline; (2) weekly for 11 weeks starting with the second week of treatment (2) at the of end of treatment (12 weeks after the start of the treatment); (3) 6 months after the end of treatment

Inclusion Criteria: subjects diagnosed with Social Anxiety Disorders using the DSM-5 criteria subjects that have SAD as the primary diagnosis according to DSM-5 criteria exceed the cutoff scores on SPIN, SIAS, and LSAS-SR Exclusion Criteria: subjects that score over 29 points at BDI-II display suicidal ideation (i.e., exceed a score of 2 on the suicide item of BDI-II) undergo other forms of treatment for SAD have a diagnosis of psychosis, bipolar disorder or personality disorders according to DSM-5 criteria

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