Article
Meta-analysis of cognitive-behavioral treatments for social phobia

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Abstract

A meta-analysis was conducted using 42 treatment-outcome trials for social phobia. Six conditions were compared: Waiting-list control, placebo, EXP (within-session exposure and homework exposure), CT (cognitive restructuring without exposure exercises), CT+EXP SST (social skills training). All interventions, including placebo, had larger effect sizes than that of the waiting-list control, and the interventions did not differ in dropout proportions. Only CT+EXP yielded a significantly larger effect size than placebo. Effects of treatments tended to increase during the follow-up period. These results support the use of cognitive-behavioral treatments for social phobia, especially the use of CT+EXP.

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