Comparison of the Effectiveness of Psychodrama and Group Therapy Based on Acceptance and Commitment on Students' Social Anxiety

Social anxiety disorder is one of the causes of poor social and academic functioning of students. The aim of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of Psychodrama and Group Therapy Based on Acceptance and Commitment on Students' Social Anxiety.

This study was a quasi-experimental study. The statistical population included students referring to Mashhad University of Medical Sciences counselling center, from which 60 students were selected through purposeful sampling in this quasi-experimental study and randomly divided into three groups of Psychodrama (N=20), Group Therapy Based on Acceptance and Commitment (N=20) and control group (N=20). All participants were evaluated before and after the intervention and three months after the end of intervention. Social Phobia Inventory (2000) (SPIN) were used for data collection. Data analyzed by SPSS-21 software using Mixed Variance analysis and were analyzed at the significance level (P <0.05).  

The results showed that both Psychodrama and Group Therapy Based on Acceptance and Commitment had significant effect on reducing Social Anxiety compared to the control group. The effectiveness and continuity of the therapeutic effects of theatrical therapy and the treatment of acceptance and commitment on social anxiety have been the same.

Both treatments were able to reduce all symptoms of social anxiety after treatment and follow-up for three months by eliminating the vicious cycle of social anxiety. Therefore, these two therapeutic approaches can be used in the form of life skills programs in universities