Brief strategic therapy in patients with social phobia with or without personality disorder.

The aim of this study was to test the effects of brief strategic therapy in people with social phobia distinguished by the presence or absence of DSM anxious personality disorder. A group of 120 outpatients with social phobia, 60 of them with comorbid DSM anxious personality disorder, were randomly assigned to 10 weeks of brief strategic therapy or minimal supportive therapy. Outcome analyses were conducted on the intent-to-treat sample at posttreatment and 3-month follow-up using self-report interpersonal sensitivity and phobic anxiety measures, and at 6-month follow-up using social phobia diagnostic status. Brief strategic therapy was superior to minimal supportive therapy in patients with social phobia only. It was not significantly better in patients with comorbid personality disorder. It was concluded that 10 weeks of brief strategic therapy shows promise as a cost-effective method for management of social phobia. It has limited value as a method for management of social phobia with personality disorder.