Paruresis (Shy Bladder Syndrome): A Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment Approach

Paruresis is a social anxiety disorder characterized by a fear of being unable to urinate in the presence of others. This condition has not been covered in the social work literature, yet is a perfect example of a person-in-environment problem. This article explores the use of graduated exposure therapy during weekend-long workshops for the treatment of paruresis. One hundred one participants participated in workshops and were administered pretreatment, posttreatment, and 1-year follow-up treatment scales. Repeated measures analysis of variance indicated significant improvement in shy bladder symptoms. Significant improvement in global severity of shy bladder was observed posttreatment and at the 1-year follow-up point. Findings suggest that graduated exposure therapy improves self-reported global severity of shy bladder symptoms and that these gains were maintained at 1-year follow up.