Psychotherapy for Social Anxiety Disorder: Long-Term Effectiveness of Resource-Oriented Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy and Cognitive Therapy in Social Anxiety Disorder

Objective Resource-oriented cognitive-behavioral therapy (ROCBT) and cognitive therapy (CT) have been shown to be effective treatments for social anxiety disorder. However, so far few studies have examined the long-term effectiveness of these treatments. Thus, there is little information available about the durability of change in treated patients with social anxiety disorder. Design This study examined the effectiveness of both treatments at 2-year and 10-year follow-up assessments. Patients who received ROCBT or CT were re-contacted after 2 (n = 51), and 10 years (n = 27), respectively, and completed a battery of self-report questionnaires. Results Treatment gains were maintained over the 2-year follow-up on all measures. Furthermore, there was a significant improvement on 2 social anxiety measures between posttreatment and the 10-year follow-up. ROCBT and CT did not differ in overall effectiveness. Conclusion The results suggest that both treatments are effective and durable approaches in the treatment of social anxiety disorder.