Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT) in social anxiety disorder with comorbid depression and anxious avoidant personality disorder: A case report

Abstract

Background: Emotion Regulation therapy (ERT) is an integrative therapy for anxiety disorders. ERT focuses on treating the emotion regulation difficulties found to be common underlying etiological factors across anxiety disorders. Case description: The present case report describes application of Emotion Regulation Therapy (ERT) in a client of social anxiety disorder (SAD) with comorbid depression and anxious avoidant personality disorder (AAPD). Rationale for using ERT in SAD, ERT case conceptualization and therapy process are explained. Client received 16 weekly sessions of ERT. Nature and severity of social anxiety, emotion regulation difficulties, depression, general anxiety and clinical global functioning were assessed at pre intervention, post, one month and three months after the intervention. Conclusion: There was improvement on all the outcome measures with the gains maintained over six month period. Results of the study with reference to the implications of using ERT are discussed.

Keywords

• emotion processing and regulation
• anxiety disorders
• transdiagnostic therapy
• emotion regulation therapy