title: A preliminary study of individual cognitive behavior therapy for social anxiety disorder in Japanese clinical settings: a single-arm, uncontrolled trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) is regarded as an effective treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD) in Europe and North America. Individual CBT might be acceptable and effective for patients with SAD even in non-Western cultures; therefore, we conducted a feasibility study of individual CBT for SAD in Japanese clinical settings. We also examined the baseline predictors of outcomes associated with receiving CBT.
  
  
  METHODS
  This single-arm trial employed a 14-week individual CBT intervention. The primary outcome was the self-rated Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, with secondary measurements of other social anxiety and depressive severity. Assessments were conducted at baseline, after a waiting period before CBT, during CBT, and after CBT.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 19 subjects screened, 15 were eligible for the study and completed the outcome measures at all assessment points. Receiving CBT led to significant improvements in primary and secondary SAD severity (ps < .001). The mean total score on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale improved from 91.8 to 51.7 (before CBT to after CBT), and the within-group effect size at the end-point assessment was large (Cohen's d = 1.71). After CBT, 73% of participants were judged to be treatment responders, and 40% met the criteria for remission. We found no significant baseline predictors of those outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite several limitations, our treatment-which comprises a 14-week, individual CBT program-seems feasible and may achieve favorable treatment outcomes for SAD in Japanese clinical settings. Further controlled trials are required in order to address the limitations of this study.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  UMIN-CTR UMIN000005897.
authors: Department of Cognitive Behavioral Physiology, Chiba University Graduate School of Medicine, 1-8-1 Inohana, Chuo-ku, Chiba, 260-8670, Japan. nao@chiba-u.jp
authors: Naoki
authors: N
authors: Yoshinaga
authors: Fumiyo
authors: F
authors: Ohshima
authors: Satoshi
authors: S
authors: Matsuki
authors: Mari
authors: M
authors: Tanaka
authors: Tomomi
authors: T
authors: Kobayashi
authors: Hanae
authors: H
authors: Ibuki
authors: Kenichi
authors: K
authors: Asano
authors: Osamu
authors: O
authors: Kobori
authors: Tetsuya
authors: T
authors: Shiraishi
authors: Emi
authors: E
authors: Ito
authors: Michiko
authors: M
authors: Nakazato
authors: Akiko
authors: A
authors: Nakagawa
authors: Masaomi
authors: M
authors: Iyo
authors: Eiji
authors: E
authors: Shimizu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000628:therapy*; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D008297:Male; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult