Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for social phobia in female adolescents: results of a pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
To examine the efficacy of cognitive-behavioral group therapy for adolescents (CBGT-A) in females with social phobia and the effect of this treatment on the risk for major depression.


METHODS
Female adolescents with social phobia (N = 35) were randomly assigned to treatment (n = 12) or no treatment (n = 23) groups. Assessments were conducted at baseline, after treatment, and at a 1-year follow-up.


RESULTS
Eleven subjects completed treatment. Sixteen weeks of treatment produced a significant improvement in interference and reduction in symptoms of social anxiety. There was a significant reduction in the number of subjects meeting DSM-IV criteria for social phobia in the CBGT-A versus the untreated group; however, at the 1-year follow-up there were no significant differences by treatment condition. There was also suggestive evidence that treatment of social phobia lowers the risk for relapse of major depression among those with a history of major depression. Combining social phobia and major depression as the outcome produced more robust treatment effects in the 1-year follow-up.


CONCLUSIONS
This pilot study provides evidence for a moderate short-term effect of CBGT-A for treating female adolescents suffering from social phobia and indicates that treatment of social phobia may result in a reduction of major depression.
Hayward
C
C
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, CA 94305-5722, USA. Hayward@Leland.Stanford.Edu
Varady
S
S
Albano
A M
AM
Thienemann
M
M
Henderson
L
L
Schatzberg
A F
AF
D000293:Adolescent; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000150:complications / Q000517:prevention & control*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011615:Psychotherapy, Group / Q000379:methods*; D012008:Recurrence; D016896:Treatment Outcome