Self-views in social anxiety disorder: The impact of CBT versus MBSR. (April 2017)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Thurston, Matthew D.; Goldin, Philippe; Heimberg, Richard; Gross, James J.
• Is Part Of: Journal of anxiety disorders. Volume 47(2017:Apr.)
• Page Start: 83
• Page End: 90
• Publication Date: 2017-04
• Subjects: Social anxiety -- Cognitive-behavioral therapy -- Mindfulness -- Meditation -- Self-view; Anxiety -- Periodicals; Anxiety Disorders -- Periodicals; Angoisse -- Périodiques; Electronic journals; 616.8522
• DOI: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.01.001
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0887-6185

Abstract

Highlights: CBT and MBSR may be equally efficacious in treating social anxiety disorder. CBT and MBSR improve positive and negative self-views. Treatment-related increases in positive self-views predicted lesser social anxiety. Positive self-views may be an important therapeutic target. Abstract: This study examines the impact of Cognitive-Behavioral Group Therapy (CBGT) versus Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) versus Waitlist (WL) on self-views in patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD). One hundred eight unmedicated patients with SAD were randomly assigned to 12 weeks of CBGT, MBSR, or WL, and completed a self-referential encoding task (SRET) that assessed self-endorsement of positive and negative self-views pre- and post-treatment. At baseline, 40 healthy controls (HCs) also completed the SRET. At baseline, patients with SAD endorsed greater negative and lesser positive self-views than HCs. Compared to baseline, patients in both CBGT and MBSR decreased negative self-views and increased positive self-views. Improvement in self-views, specifically increases in positive (but not decreases in negative) self-views, predicted CBGT- and MBSR-related decreases in social anxiety symptoms. Enhancement of positive self-views may be a shared therapeutic process for both CBGT and MBSR for SAD.