The Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network

Abstract

This paper presents the Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network. The research program encompasses a coordinated group of studies adopting a standard protocol and an agreed-on set of standardized measures for the assessment and treatment of social phobia (SP). In the central project (study A), a multicenter randomized controlled trial, refined models of manualized cognitive-behavioral therapy and manualized short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy are compared in the treatment of SP. A sample of 512 outpatients will be randomized to either cognitive-behavioral therapy, short-term psychodynamic psychotherapy or waiting list. Assessments will be made at baseline, at the end of treatment and 6 and 12 months after the end of treatment. For quality assurance and treatment integrity, a specific project using highly elaborated measures has been established (project Q). Study A is complemented by 4 interrelated add-on projects focusing on attachment style (study B1), on cost-effectiveness (study B2), on variation in the serotonin transporter gene in SP (study C1) and on structural and functional deviations of the hippocampus and amygdala (study C2). Thus, the Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network program enables a highly interdisciplinary research into SP. The unique sample size achieved by the multicenter approach allows for studies of subgroups (e.g. comorbid disorders, isolated vs. generalized SP), of responders and nonresponders of each treatment approach, for generalization of results and for a sufficient power to detect differences between treatments. Psychological and biological parameters will be related to treatment outcome, and variables for differential treatment indication will be gained. Thus, the results provided by the network may have an important impact on the treatment of SP and on the development of treatment guidelines for SP.

Effectiveness of Different Modalities of Psychotherapeutic Treatment for Patients with Cluster C Personality Disorders: Results of a Large Prospective Multicentre Study

“…Another question is whether the benefit in terms of effectiveness is worth the potential cost differences when evaluated with recently upcoming state-of-the-art cost-effectiveness analyses [e.g. [52,53]]. From these analyses within our study sample, it appeared that the mean direct treatment costs of the 5 treatment modalities were EUR 10,005 (SE 1,134) for long-term outpatient treatment, EUR 16,813 (SE 1,361) for short-term day hospital treatment, EUR 27,648 (SE 2,654) for long-term day hospital treatment, EUR 25,933 (SE 859) for short-term inpatient treatment, and EUR 49,260 (SE 2,435) for long-term inpatient treatment [Soeteman, unpubl.…”

The Empirical Status of Psychodynamic Psychotherapy - An Update: Bambi's Alive and Kicking

“…In the first study, short-term psychodynamic group treatment for generalized social phobia was superior to a credible placebo control [71]. In a large-scale multicenter RCT, the efficacy of PDT and cognitive therapy in the treatment of social phobia was studied [52,72]. Both treatments were significantly superior to the waiting list.…”

Cognitive-Behavioral and Psychodynamic Therapy in Adolescents with Social Anxiety Disorder: A Multicenter Randomized Controlled Trial

“…In accordance with the SOPHO-NET trial in adults [18-20], rates of response and remission based on the LSAS-CA were determined. Following recommendations by Liebowitz et al [23], remission was defined as a score ≤30 on LSAS-CA [29].…”

“…Regarding SAD, the RCT by Bögels et al [17] found CBT and PDT equally efficacious in adults. In a large multicenter RCT ( n = 495, Social Phobia Psychotherapy Research Network [SOPHO-NET] trial A1) conducted within SOPHO-NET [18], we found PDT to be efficacious in SAD [19]. In a comparison of CBT and PDT, we found some small differences in favor of CBT at postassessment, but no significant differences in the long term [19, 20].…”

“…We expected both treatments to be superior to the WL condition. To allow for a comparison with the largest study concerning psychotherapeutic treatment in SAD existing so far, we report the results of the trial in adolescents in accordance with the data presented by the SOPHO-NET trial A1 in adults [18-20]. …”