A Comparative Evaluation of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing for Social Anxiety Disorder: A Randomized Controlled Trial

TitleA Comparative Study on the Effectiveness of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in Reducing Symptoms of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Background & ObjectiveCognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) is the gold-standard treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), but not all individuals fully benefit due to its cognitive demands. Emerging evidence suggests that EMDR, commonly used for PTSD, may also reduce social anxiety symptoms. However, direct comparisons between CBT and EMDR for SAD are limited. This study aims to evaluate and compare the effectiveness of CBT and EMDR in reducing symptoms of SAD to inform more personalized treatment approaches.

MethodologyA randomized controlled trial (RCT) will be conducted with 42 participants (aged 18–50), diagnosed with SAD per DSM-5 and ICD-10. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups: CBT or EMDR. Pre- and post-intervention assessments will be conducted using the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) and Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (FNE-B). The CBT group will undergo 8 weekly sessions focused on cognitive restructuring and social skills training, while the EMDR group will receive 8 sessions targeting distressing social memories using bilateral stimulation. Data will be analyzed using paired and independent t-tests with effect sizes, using SPSS and R.