Treatment of Social Phobia in Adolescents: Cognitive Behavioral Programs Focused on Intervention and Prevention

Abstract

Social phobia is an exaggerated fear of a variety of social and performance situations due to the concern that one may become embarrassed or humiliated in front of others. Such fear is considered “normal” to some degree, especially during the period of adolescence. However, for a significant proportion of youth, social fear and social phobia become pathological conditions impacting upon functioning across a variety of life domains (friendships, academics, family functioning, vocational functioning). Youth with social phobia report greater feelings of depression, estrangement from others, hopelessness, and loneliness. Moreover, research indicates that social phobia, if left untreated, can be a major pathway for more complex and destructive complications, such as suicidality and substance abuse. This paper reviews the research in the area of social anxiety and social phobia in adolescents. The phenomenology of the disorder, particularly within a developmental context, is presented. Current data supporting the efficacy of a cognitive behavioral group treatment program for adolescents are presented, along with a presentation of a new program under development which is designed to target youth at risk of developing the disorder.