The effects of group based cognitive behavioral therapy on self- compassion, social anxiety and ruminative thought style of turkish youth transitional age: a controlled study on university students

Abstract

Objective: Social anxiety disorder (SAD), is characterized by the fear of being negatively evaluated or showing symptoms of anxiety in social environments or performance conditions which usually leads to avoidance behavior. It is known that changing negative thoughts and replacing them with alternatives have an important place in its treatment. In Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, the focus is mainly on the person's negative thoughts about himself. Group Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBGT) is a frequently used therapy model in anxiety disorders, including social anxiety. The aim of this study is to examine the effect of CBGT on the social anxiety levels of university students with elevated SAD symptoms, as well as on their ruminative thinking styles and self-compassion.Methods: Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) was applied to 1200 students. Thirty students who had highest social anxiety levels were selected. The selected students were assigned to the experimental and placebo groups. CBGT was applied to the experimental group, and communication-based group therapy was applied to the placebo group.Results: There is a significant difference between pretest and posttest of the LSAS and rumination levels of the experimental group. In addition, LSAS and rumination post-test levels were found to differ significantly according to the group. There was no significant difference in self-compassion levels.C