Treating Social Anxiety Disorder with CBT: Impact on Emotion Regulation and Satisfaction with Life

We examined whether cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) would influence the relationship between two distinct forms of emotion regulation (cognitive reappraisal and expressive suppression) and satisfaction with life in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). When compared to healthy adults (n = 42) at baseline (Study 1), patients with SAD (n = 128) reported lesser use of cognitive reappraisal, greater use of expressive suppression, and lower levels of satisfaction with life. In a randomized controlled trial of CBT (n = 40) versus a waitlist control group (n = 32) (Study 2), resulted indicated in the CBT group significant group by time interactions for the use of cognitive reappraisal and satisfaction with life, but not for the use of expressive suppression. Regression analyses in Study 2 provide insight into the predictive value of expressive suppression emotion regulation on post-CBT life satisfaction.