Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Group Therapy for Treatment of Social Phobia in Adults: A Systematic Review

Abstract

This study aims to review empirical studies that were used to evaluate the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group therapy programs for the treatment of social phobia (social anxiety disorder) in adults. Articles in English and Turkish that were published between the years of 2005 and 2015 have been searched in the national and international databases. The articles that were not therapy effec-tiveness studies, and group therapies that not based on cognitive behavioral approach, researches that examined different disorder apart from social phobia were eliminated. The remaining 27 studies that met the criteria were introduced in the context of method, therapy characteristics and results. Findings of articles revealed that cognitive behavior group therapy for social phobia decreases social phobia symptoms and improves the quality of life in adults. [Psikiyatride Guncel Yaklasimlar - Current Approaches in Psychiatry 2016; 8(Supplement 1): 61-78]

Keywords

• Social anxiety
• social phobia
• cognitive behavior therapy
• group therapy