Cognitive behavioural therapy as an effective treatment for social anxiety, perfectionism, and rumination

Abstract

Social anxiety, perfectionism, and rumination in adults have been known to significantly decrease an individual’s perceptions toward their quality of life, yet little is known or understood about possible therapeutic approaches in Iranian populations. This randomized, controlled trial study was designed to examine the efficacy of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) on social anxiety, perfectionism, and rumination among individuals diagnosed with social anxiety in Tehran, Iran. A total of 52 individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) (68% female, mean age = 35.67) were allocated to a CBT group or to a control group. The intervention group was given one session of therapy per week over a duration of 8 weeks, while the control group did not receive any intervention and was placed on a waiting list. Self-reported social anxiety, perfectionism, and rumination were measured before the CBT intervention, after the intervention, and two months after the intervention for both groups. Repeated measurement ANOVA revealed greater improvements in social anxiety, perfectionism, and rumination in the intervention group compared with the control group. The findings revealed that CBT effectively decreased social anxiety, perfectionism, and rumination in individuals with SAD offering implications for therapists and clinicians.