Both treatments resulted in reduced anxiety, avoidance, general psychopathology and better social functioning that maintained over follow-up. Continuing improvement in remission rates was noted; fully 60% of the patients no longer fulfilled criteria for social phobia at the end of 1-year follow-up.

This retrospective study investigated experiences of separation and perceptions of early relations with parents and peers by patients diagnosed as having avoidant personality disorder. The main hypothesis of our study was that patients diagnosed as having avoidant personality disorder would report more actual separations and more pathogenic parenting than normal control subjects. This hypothesis was not supported. The main features differentiating patients from normals were: perceptions of a encouraging home climate, and less demonstrations of love and pride in the child on the part of the parents.

Both treatments paying attention to the patients' interpersonal difficulties resulted in significantly better outcomes overall than the approach that concentrated on problems in sexual functioning alone.

No abstract

Background. In the absence of models of therapy for sexual dysfunction in single women, this study drew on approaches that have been shown to be useful with men. This controlled study compared three approaches to the treatment of sexually dysfunctional single women. Method. Forty-nine sexually dysfunctional women were randomly assigned to treatments focusing on either their sexual dysfunction, their interpersonal problems, a combination of both or a waiting list; 47 completed treatment, and 45 a 1 year follow-up. Treatment was administered in small groups in 15 weekly sessions and four 6 weekly sessions during the first 6 months of a 1 year follow-up. Results. No clinically meaningful change was observed during the waiting period. In contrast, a significant and equivalent improvement was observed in all treatment conditions by the end of treatment and was maintained at 6 and 12 month follow-ups. No significant differences between the treatment conditions were found at any point. Conclusions. Sexual dysfunction in single women responded to treatment by various behavioural group approaches. Clinically, results fell short of the improvements observed in sexually dysfunctional men treated similarly.