Cognitive behavior therapy for social phobia in large groups

We examined cognitive behavior treatment (CBT) for social phobia (SP) in large groups (17-24 members) in a naturalistic setting. Individuals (n = 212) seeking treatment for SP in a large public clinic filled out self-report measures upon contacting the clinic (T1), at first session (T2, average 8.2 months after T1), immediately following treatment termination (T3), and 3 months after treatment termination (T4). The attrition rate was 5.7% from initial contact to treatment initiation, and an additional 30% during treatment. CBT for SP in large groups resulted in modest reductions in social anxiety (effect size = 0.55 for the entire sample, and 0.87 for completers). Clinically significant reductions in social anxiety during treatment were observed (30.0% during treatment vs. 10.2% during wait-list). Advantages and disadvantages of CBGT in large groups for social anxiety are discussed.