The Effects of Cognitive-Behavioral Training on Social Phobia in Nursing Students: with one-step follow-up

Phobia disorders are affected by cognitive and behavioral inefficiencies. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of cognitive-behavioral training on social phobia in nursing students: with one-step follow-up.

This quasi-experimental study was conducted with a pretest-posttest design, a control group, and follow-up after one month. The sample population included all the nursing students of Babol University of Medical Sciences in Babol, Iran in 2019. In total, 60 students were selected via simple random sampling and diagnosed with social phobia. The groups were assessed at three intervals before and after the intervention, and the follow-up was performed using the Liebowitz Social Phobia scale. The experimental group received 12 sessions (60 minutes each) of cognitive-behavioral therapy based on social phobia, and the control group received no training. Data analysis was performed in SPSS version 18 using repeated measures ANOVA.

The results of covariance analysis indicated that social phobia significantly decreased in the experimental group at the posttest and follow-up compared to the control group (P≤0.05). The mean difference was 38.48±8.21 in the experimental group and 37.96±7.96 in the control group before the intervention and 26.06±7.74 in the experimental group and 36.48±6.08 in the control group after the intervention.

According to the results, cognitive-behavioral group intervention could be used as an effective approach to the reduction of social phobia in students.