Group Cognitive-behavioral Intervention for Social Anxiety in Schizophrenia

Social anxiety is highly prevalent in people with schizophrenia and represents a major obstacle to positive functional outcomes. Social anxiety is a treatable condition but has, in the context of psychosis, received only scant attention thus far. Current existing manualized treatment for social anxiety may not be optimal for people with schizophrenia for a number of reasons described above. An adapted CBT intervention for schizophrenia must target the stigma attached to the illness, the presence of poor social skills, the presence of delusional and persecutory ideas, possible limited reading abilities, and associated cognitive deficits. The investigators propose to develop and test an adapted group CBT for social anxiety. The main objective of this research proposal is to contrast the impact of a CBT intervention for the treatment of social anxiety in schizophrenia with standard care (care as usual) on reducing symptoms of social anxiety. Considering the relationship between certain characteristics of social anxiety (e.g. social withdrawal) with diminished quality of life and poor functional outcome, a secondary objective is to examine the impact of reduced social anxiety on functional outcome.

Inclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of a schizophrenia spectrum disorder; aged 18-50; be able to read and write at an intermediate level (Education > 8 years or more); social anxiety scores above 34 for the SIAS, above 19 for the SPIN and above 20 for the BSPS; and the the presence of observable clinical symptoms supporting the diagnosis of a social anxiety disorder on Axis I.

Exclusion criteria

• Diagnosis of affective psychosis; currently clinically stable [score of 3 or less of the SAPS ratings; Global Assessment Scale score (Endicott, et al., 1976) of ≥ 50]; have no significant presence of social anxiety (score on scales below cut-off); hospitalized or hospitalized at the time of recruitment; and a change medication within the past 6 weeks.