Teaching Social Skills to Shy Single Men

Abstract

This intervention study compared the efficacy of two treatments for increasing dating frequency and reducing interpersonal discomfort in heterosocial interactions among shy men. Sixty self-described shy single men were randomly assigned to one of three groups: cognitive-behavioral workshop, practice dating, or waiting-list (delayed work-shop) control. All participants agreed to attend a singles function where female observers, posing as party goers, made notes regarding the men's social behavior at this public event. These notes indicated that, overall, workshop participants demonstrated greater levels of social competence than did either practice daters or control group members. Workshop participants also showed greater increases in social self-efficacy than did men in the control group. Dating frequency increased modestly for workshop and practice-dating participants and significantly for delayed workshop participants at a 2-month follow- up.