Efficacy of a Mindfulness Meditation Program for Social Anxiety Disorder

Efficacy of an Enhanced Mindfulness-based Intervention for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Pilot Feasibility Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of this study is to evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of an enhanced mindfulness-based program that includes "mindful exposure" to reduce anxiety and avoidance of social situations, and the Buddhist practice of self-compassion aimed at reducing harsh judgment and self-criticism that is characteristic of people with social anxiety disorder.

The purpose of this pilot study is to evaluate the feasibility and initial efficacy of an enhanced mindfulness-based intervention for SAD (MIND-SAD) that incorporates the following components: training in classical mindfulness, including concentration and insight (vipassana) meditation; training in self-compassion; and mindful exposure. An exploratory aim of the study is to evaluate the effects of the mindfulness intervention on biological markers of stress reactivity, including salivary cortisoland salivary alpha-amylase. The study is a two-arm, parallel design, prospective study comparing 12 weekly sessions of MIND-SAD delivered in a group format versus a wait-list control (WLC).

Inclusion Criteria: Primary diagnosis of Social Anxiety Disorder; Baseline score of 30 or higher on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale; Baseline score of 4 or higher on the Clinical Global Impression of Severity Exclusion Criteria: Lifetime history of psychosis or bipolar disorder; substance abuse in the past 12 months; diagnosis of borderline or antisocial personality disorder; serious suicide risk; currently in psychotherapy; regular meditation or yoga practice in the past 12 months