[The treatment of social phobias: efficacy of cognitive and and behavioral group therapy].

55 patients with social phobias were given group cognitive-behavioural therapy. The study protocol comprised three phases: (1) the pre-inclusion phase with 5 individual consultations before group treatment; (2) the group phase itself, comprising 20 weekly sessions of 2 hours each and (3) the post-therapy phase, comprising a 6 month follow-up group session, and 2 evaluation sessions 6 and 12 months after the end of group therapy. The techniques used were assertiveness training and cognitive therapy. Assessments were carried out using the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule (23), Brief standard self rating for phobic patients (Marks) (19) and Beck Depression Inventory Scores (1), at specified times during the study: at the start of the individual phase; at the start, in the middle and at the end of the group phase, as well as at 6 month and 1 year follow-up. The results are interesting. Follow-up was very good, with 54 out of 55 patients finishing the group treatment, and with 50 patients being evaluated at 6 and 12 months. Global analysis of the results showed that at the end of group therapy, there was a statistically significant improvement in the score on the Rathus Assertiveness Schedule, on the social sub-score, on the brief standard self rating for phobic patients (Marks). The improvement in these variables was maintained at 6 and 12 month follow-up.