Research Symposium Example
Recent developments in Social Phobia
Convenors: Heidenreich, T., Clinic of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy II; University Clinic Johann Wolfgang Goethe and Stangier, U, Department of Psychology; University of Frankfurt, Germany
Social Phobia, also known as social anxiety disorder, is characterized by severe impairments in both social and occupational functioning. During the last years, much progress has been made in the understanding of factors contributing to aetiology and maintenance of social phobia as well as to its treatment. Important influences have been cognitive models of the nature of excessive social anxiety. In this symposium, new approaches to both the aetiology and treatment of social phobia are included. In the first paper, Luisa Stopa investigates the role of memory perspective and self-concept in social anxiety. It is pointed out that both concepts are important and necessary to clearly understand the nature of social anxiety. The second presentation by Rachel Mycroft and Colette Hirsch presents new data on the role of valence and self-reference of images in social phobia. Among other findings, they show that negative images of the self have the most powerful effect in increasing anxiety and impairing performance. The third presentation, by Ulrich Stangier and Thomas Heidenreich deals with a topic that has been neglected for some time: The role of secondary social anxiety in mental and physical disorders. Drawing on studies in populations as diverse as alcohol dependence, eating disorders, schizophrenia and body dysmorphic disorder, the authors point out the problems in identifying clinically relevant secondary social anxiety. The following two papers are dealing with treatment studies of social phobia: Sandra Mulkens, Susan Bögels, Peter de Jong and Judith Louwers present task concentration training, a newly developed treatment for social anxiety. They report on a randomized controlled trial comparing this treatment format with exposure in vivo in patients with fear of blushing. The final paper of this symposium is presented by Finn-Magnus Borge, Asle Hoffart and Harold Sexton who report results of a randomized controlled trial comparing cognitive-behavioral therapy with interpersonal therapy. The authors concentrate on the 6- and 12-month follow-up assessment points. The symposium concludes with a general discussion of future research directions in social phobia.
Speakers
Luisa Stopa, University of Southampton, UK
Rachel Mycroft and Colette Hirsch, Institute of Psychiatry, London, UK
Ulrich Stangier and Thomas Heidenreich, Frankfurt, Germany
Sandra Mulkens, Susan Bögels, Peter de Jong and Judith Louwers, Maastricht, The Netherlands
Finn-Magnus Borge, Asle Hoffart and Harold Sexton, Modum Bad, Norway
