To Evaluate the Effect of Cognitive Drill Therapy on Social Anxiety - A Preliminary Study

Abstract

Cognitive drill therapy is a new and effective approach for the treatment of social anxiety. Key component of this therapy involves verbal exposure to dreaded negative outcomes. Verbal exposure is kept continued until there is a noticeable decrease in the felt anxiety. The process starts with the generation of cognition of the feared outcomes, followed by a change in time perspective to the present or past. To examine the effectiveness of cognitive drill therapy in the treatment of social anxiety. Methods: In the Present intervention study by using the random sampling method, a pre-post test of the experimental and control group was used. The sample consisted of 52 subjects (26 in each group), based on pre-test scores on social anxiety with a diagnosis of moderate social anxiety. The pre-post assessment measure was LIEBOWITZ SOCIAL ANXIETY SCALE. For intervention, I0 sessions of structured CDT (weekly one session) were used individually on the experimental group. Afterward, a post-test was administered to both groups to identify the difference in social anxiety. An Independent sample t-test was applied to find the difference between the two groups before and after the intervention.   Findings revealed a significant change in pre-post-test scores on the symptomology of social anxiety. Sample size and age group can be increased/varied for wider generalizations.Cognitive drill therapy produces faster results and provides a unique framework for exposure to the cognitive determinants of irrational fear.