The treatment of social phobia: The differential effectiveness of exposure in vivo and an integration of exposure in vivo, rational emotive therapy and social skills training

• Published in: Behaviour research and therapy Vol. 33; no. 3; pp. 259 - 269
• Main Author: Mersch, Peter Paul A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 01.03.1995; Elsevier Science; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Adult; Behavior Therapy - methods; Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Cognitive Behavioral Therapy - methods; Combined Modality Therapy; Desensitization, Psychologic - methods; Fear & phobias; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; Personality Assessment; Phobic Disorders - psychology; Phobic Disorders - therapy; Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry; Psychopathology. Psychiatry; Psychotherapy, Rational-Emotive - methods; Social Behavior; Social research; Therapy; Treatment Outcome; Treatments; Human; Cognitive therapy; Social phobia; Treatment efficiency; Anxiety disorder; Exposure; Psychological training; In vivo; Adult; Social aptitude; Behavior therapy; Rational emotive therapy; Comparative study
• ISSN: 0005-7967; 1873-622X
• DOI: 10.1016/0005-7967(94)00038-L

Thirty-four social phobic patients were treated with either exposure in vivo or an integrated treatment, consisting of rational emotive therapy, social skills training and exposure in vivo. Comparison with a waiting-list control group showed the effectiveness of both treatments. Contrary to expectations, the integrated approach was not superior over exposure in vivo alone. Also, the long-term effectiveness of both treatments was equally good.