Group cohesion in cognitive-behavioral group therapy for social phobia

Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for Social Phobia is effective in both group and individual formats. However, the impact of group processes on treatment efficacy remains relatively unexplored. In this study we examined group cohesion ratings made by individuals at the midpoint and endpoint of CBT g...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behaviour research and therapy 2007-04, Vol.45 (4), p.687-698
Main Authors: Taube-Schiff, Marlene, Suvak, Michael K., Antony, Martin M., Bieling, Peter J., McCabe, Randi E.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Clinical outcomes
Cognitive behaviour therapy
Cognitive therapy
Cognitive Therapy - methods
Cognitive-behavior therapy
Fear & phobias
Female
Group cohesion
Group cohesiveness
Group Processes
Humans
Interpersonal Relations
Male
Medical sciences
Mental depression
Middle Aged
Phobia
Phobic Disorders - psychology
Phobic Disorders - therapy
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Psychotherapy, Group - methods
Social anxiety
Social anxiety disorder
Social phobia
Socialization
Treatment Outcome
Treatments
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Summary:Cognitive-behavior therapy (CBT) for Social Phobia is effective in both group and individual formats. However, the impact of group processes on treatment efficacy remains relatively unexplored. In this study we examined group cohesion ratings made by individuals at the midpoint and endpoint of CBT groups for social phobia. Symptom measures were also completed at the beginning and end of treatment. We found that cohesion ratings significantly increased over the course of the group and were associated with improvement over time in social anxiety symptoms, as well as improvement on measures of general anxiety, depression, and functional impairment. In conclusion, findings are consistent with the idea that changes in group cohesion are related to social anxiety symptom reduction and, therefore, speak to the importance of nonspecific therapeutic factors in treatment outcome.
ISSN:0005-7967
1873-622X
DOI:10.1016/j.brat.2006.06.004