COGNITIVE AND BEHAVIORAL TREATMENTS OF FEAR OF BLUSHING, SWEATING OR TREMBLING

Social phobic patients (n = 30) with fear of blushing, sweating or trembling as the predominant complaint were randomly assigned to three treatment conditions: (1) exposure in vivo followed by cognitive therapy, (2) cognitive therapy followed by exposure in vivo, or (3) a cognitive-behavioural treatment in which both strategies were integrated from the start. Each treatment condition consisted of 16 sessions, given in two treatment blocks of 4 weeks each, separated by a no-treatment phase of 4 weeks. Self-report assessments were held before and after the treatment blocks and at 3-months follow-up. No significant differences were found between effects of the first treatment block vs those of the 4-weeks waiting-list period. After the second block treatment was significantly more effective than waiting-list. The analyses showed significant time effects after both treatment blocks and at follow-up, indicating improvement for the group as a whole. After two treatment blocks and at follow-up no significant differences among the different treatment packages were found on target problems, avoidance of social situations, cognitions and somatic complaints. After discussion of the results recommendations for further research will be given.