DIAGNOSIS: Social Anxiety Disorder and Public Speaking Anxiety
TREATMENT: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

2015 EST Status: Treatment pending re-evaluation Very strong: High-quality evidence that treatment improves symptoms and functional outcomes at post-treatment and follow-up; little risk of harm; requires reasonable amount of resources; effective in non-research settings

Strong: Moderate- to high-quality evidence that treatment improves symptoms OR functional outcomes; not a high risk of harm; reasonable use of resources

Weak: Low or very low-quality evidence that treatment produces clinically meaningful effects on symptoms or functional outcomes; Gains from the treatment may not warrant resources involved

Insufficient Evidence: No meta-analytic study could be identified

Insufficient Evidence: Existing meta-analyses are not of sufficient quality

Treatment pending re-evaluation

1998 EST Status: Strong Research Support Strong: Support from two well-designed studies conducted by independent investigators.

Modest: Support from one well-designed study or several adequately designed studies.

Controversial: Conflicting results, or claims regarding mechanisms are unsupported.

Strength of Research Support

Empirical Review Status
2015 Criteria
(Tolin et al. Recommendation)
Very Strong
Strong
Weak
Insufficient Evidence
Treatment pending re-evaluation
1998 Criteria
(Chambless et al. EST)
Strong
Modest
Controversial

Find a Therapist specializing in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Social Anxiety DisorderList your practice

Brief Summary

  • Basic premise: thoughts, feelings and behaviors are inter-related, so altering one can help to alleviate problems in another
  • Essence of therapy: Cognitive therapy techniques focus on modifying the catastrophic thinking patterns and beliefs that social failure and rejection are likely; exposure therapies are designed to gradually encourage the individual to enter feared social situations and try to remain in those situations.
  • Length: approx. 12 sessions

Treatment Resources

Editors:Evan Forman, PhD; Joanna Kaye, BA

Note: The resources provided below are intended to supplement not replace foundational training in mental health treatment and evidence-based practice

Treatment Manuals / Outlines

Treatment Manuals
Books Available for Purchase Through External Sites
Treatment Outlines

Training Materials and Workshops

Measures, Handouts and Worksheets

Self-help Books

Important Note: The books listed above are based on empirically-supported in-person treatments. They have not necessarily been evaluated empirically either by themselves or in conjunction with in-person treatment. We list them as a resource for clinicians who assign them as an adjunct to conducting in-person treatment.

Smartphone Apps

Important Note: The apps listed above are based on empirically-supported in-person treatments. They have not necessarily been evaluated empirically either by themselves or in conjunction with in-person treatment. We list them as a resource for clinicians who assign them as an adjunct to conducting in-person treatment.

 

Video Demonstrations

  • Clinical training videos on different CBT for social anxiety strategies and skills (National Social Anxiety Center)
  • Group CBT for SAD (Hofmann et al):
  • Introducing group members (Hofmann et al.)

  • Overview of group treatment (Hofmann et al.)

  • Establishing ground rules (Hofmann et al.)

  • Presenting social anxiety model (Hofmann et al.)

  • Assigning homework (Hofmann et al.)

  • Exposure rationale (Hofmann et al.)

  • Setting up speech exposure (Hofmann et al.)

  • Speech exposure (Hofmann et al.)

  • Post-processing speech exposure (Hofmann et al.)

  • Rationale for social cost exposures (Hofmann et al.)

  • Setting up in vivo exposure (Hofmann et al.)

  • In vivo exposure (Hofmann et al.)

  • Post-processing after in vivo exposure (Hofmann et al.)

Videos Available for Purchase Through External Sites

Video Descriptions

Clinical Trials

Meta-analyses and Systematic Reviews

Other Treatment Resources