CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder Delivered by School Counselors

CBT for Social Anxiety Disorder Delivered by School Counselors

This 5-year study addresses the unmet needs of adolescents with social phobia through the testing of a 12-week cognitive-behavioral, school-based group intervention delivered by trained school counselors compared to a nonspecific school counseling program. A secondary goal is to provide further examination of the efficacy of the CBT program delivered by school counselors as compared to the same program delivered by psychologists.

The investigators have tested SASS, a school-based group CBT intervention for social phobia, and found it to be effective when delivered by psychologists (Masia Warner et al., 2005; Masia Warner et al., 2007). The proposed dissemination study extends this work through a controlled trial of SASS delivered by school counselors. The investigators will randomize 126 adolescents with social anxiety disorder, ages 14 through 17, to one of 3 treatments: 1) SASS delivered by school counselors (SC-SASS), 2) SASS delivered by psychologists (Expert-SASS), or 3) a manualized adolescent group counseling program specifically designed for school counselors, called Skills for Living (SFL). A comprehensive evaluation will include diagnosis, illness severity, scale ratings of social anxiety and depression, clinical global improvement, overall functioning, and school-relevant indices of function. Outcomes will be assessed at baseline, mid-point (after 6 weeks of intervention), post-treatment, and 6 months following intervention completion.

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Diagnosis. DSM-IV primary diagnosis (most severe) of social anxiety disorder (as determined by the ADIS-PC)
2. Age and Sex. Boys and Girls, 14 through 19 years
3. Grade. 9th, 10th, 11th, or 12th
4. English speaking. Adolescent

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Current diagnosis of substance use or conduct disorder
2. Concurrent mental disorder of greater severity than social anxiety disorder
3. Current psychotic symptoms
4. Current suicidal ideation
5. Pervasive developmental disorder, or a significant medical disorder (e.g., substantially impairs functioning, school attendance, or the ability to engage in treatment)
6. Current psychological or pharmacological treatment