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Open trial of interpersonal psychotherapy for the treatment of social phobia
J D Lipsitz1, J C Markowitz, S Cherry
1Department of Psychiatry, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, USA.
Objective:
Interpersonal psychotherapy is a time-limited treatment initially developed to treat depression. It has not been studied for the treatment of anxiety disorders.
Method:
Interpersonal psychotherapy was modified and tested in a 14-week, open trial of nine patients with DSM-IV social phobia.
Results:
At termination, seven (78%) were independently rated as much or very much improved on overall social phobia symptoms. Nearly all clinician ratings and self-ratings of social phobia symptoms significantly improved. Changes approximated those of established treatments for social phobia.
Conclusions:
Interpersonal psychotherapy may have efficacy for the treatment of social phobia. Further study in a comparison trial is warranted.