The Efficacy of Group Schema Therapy in Reducing Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder and Improving of Social Health

The main problem that is to withdraw from studies of social anxiety disorder is substantial importance of early diagnosis and treatment. The present study was carried out in order to examine the efficacy impact of schema group therapy in the treatment and social health of students with social anxiety disorder. The design of the study was quasi-experimental research with pretest-posttest and control group. 35 students with social anxiety disorder referring university counseling centers in Kermanshah with psychological and psychiatric diagnosis were selected by purposeful sampling method. The treatment program was carried out for 10 weekly sessions using Young schema therapy. Subjects completed Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory (MCMI) questionnaire, Structured Clinical Interview for DSM- IV axis Ι disorders (SCID), Social Phobia Inventory (SPI), Young Schema Questionnaire (YSQ) and social health questionnaire. Findings showed that schema group therapy significantly reduces the length of the activity of early maladaptive schemas in all field and then a significant decrease in symptoms of social anxiety disorder and improve social health of patients. schema group therapy has appropriate efficacy in decreased activity of early maladaptive schemas, treatment of social anxiety disorder and increasing social health of students.