Adding Cognitive Behavioral Therapy to Drug Treatment for Social Anxiety Disorder

Phase 3

Completed

Conditions: Social Anxiety Disorder

Interventions: Drug: Paroxetine
Behavioral: Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)

Registration Number: NCT00074802

Lead Sponsor: Temple University

Brief Summary: This study will examine whether the addition of cognitive behavioral therapy can improve the efficacy of the medication paroxetine (Paxil®) in treating individuals with social anxiety disorder. Patients with social anxiety disorder will undergo a 12-week open trial with paroxetine. Those who complete the open trial having achieved only partial response will be randomized to receive cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) in addition to paroxetine or to continue on paroxetine alone for an additional 16 weeks.

Detailed Description: Social anxiety disorder is a prevalent and disabling condition for which effective long-term treatments need to be identified. Paroxetine is effective in treating the acute symptoms of social anxiety, but many patients achieve less than optimal response. CBT has also been effective in treating social anxiety disorder; thus,it may also be effective in augmenting paroxetine response. This study will examine the effects of paroxetine treatment alone and in combination with CBT among patients who achieve less than optimal response after an open trial with paroxetine.

Participants in this study will receive paroxetine for 12 weeks (Phase 1). After 12 weeks, participants who have completed this open trial but have achieved some but less than optimal response will move forward to Phase 2. To be eligible to move forward to Phase 2, patients must have achieved at least a 10% improvement in their open-trial Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale Scores (LSAS) but still have an LSAS score of 30 or greater. Patients meeting these criteria will be randomly assigned to either add weekly sessions of CBT to their treatment or to continue taking paroxetine alone for another 16 weeks. Social anxiety symptoms, rates of response and remission, fear of negative evaluation, disability and quality of life will be assessed.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: COMPLETED

Sex: All

Target Recruitment: 150

Inclusion Criteria

Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth edition (DSM-IV) criteria for generalized social phobia
Willing and able to give written informed consent
English-speaking

Exclusion Criteria

Prior or current diagnosis of schizophrenia, schizoaffective disorder, organic mental disorder, bipolar disorder, or antisocial, schizotypal, and schizoid personality disorders
Suicidal thoughts
History of failed paroxetine treatment of at least 6 weeks' duration at adequate doses or a history of failed outcome of a previous adequate trial of CBT
Clinically significant and/or unstable medical disease
Pregnancy or breast-feeding. Women of childbearing potential will be required to sign a statement indicating their intention to avoid pregnancy during the study through the use of an effective method of contraception.
Alcohol or substance abuse or dependence within the past 3 months. Patients with a positive drug screen but no substance abuse disorder will be eligible for the study, provided they have not met criteria for abuse/dependence within the last 6 months and provide two clean urine samples 2 weeks apart.
Current or past history of seizure disorder (except febrile seizure in childhood)
Conditions that contraindicate the use of paroxetine
Inability to tolerate or unwillingness to accept a drug-free period of 4 weeks for monoamine oxidase inhibitors (MAOIs) or fluoxetine and 2 weeks for other selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), neuroleptics, antidepressants, benzodiazepines, mood stabilizers, buspirone, beta-adrenergic blockers, or other psychotropic drugs prior to beginning the study
Currently receiving psychotherapy

Study & Design

Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL

Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Paroxetine with CBT Augmentation	Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)	Participants who showed only partial response to paroxetine in Phase 1 will receive continued treatment with paroxetine plus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for 16 additional weeks.
Paroxetine Continuation	Paroxetine	Participants who showed only partial response to paroxetine in Phase 1 will receive continued treatment with paroxetine for 16 additional weeks.
Paroxetine with CBT Augmentation	Paroxetine	Participants who showed only partial response to paroxetine in Phase 1 will receive continued treatment with paroxetine plus cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) for 16 additional weeks.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS)	Change measured from Week 12 to Week 28	The LSAS is a 24-item clinician-administered measure, which provides 0-3 ratings for anxiety and avoidance of social and performance situations. Anxiety and avoidance ratings are summed across items, yielding a range of scores from 0-144, with higher scores representing greater severity of social anxiety symptoms. We examined amount of change from week 12 to week 28 as the primary outcome. Change was calculated as Week 12 score minus Week 28 score, so a positive score equals greater positive change.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Social Phobia Scale (SPS)	Change measured from Week 12 to Week 28	The SPS is a 20-item self-report measure of anxiety experienced when being observed by others. Items are rated on a 0-4 scale, yielding a range of scores from 0-80, with higher scores representing greater anxiety. We examined amount of change at from week 12 to week 28 as a secondary outcome. Change was calculated as Week 12 score minus Week 28 score, so a positive score equals greater positive change.
Clinical Global Impression Improvement Scale (CGI-I)	Responder and remitter status measured at Week 28	The CGI-I is a 7-point clinician-administered scale measuring improvement in symptoms over time. Lower numbers represent greater improvement. We examined responder status (i.e., percent of patients receiving an endpoint, Week 28, rating of 1 or 2) as well as remission status (i.e., percent of patients receiving an endpoint, Week 28, rating of 1) as secondary outcomes.
Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS)	Change measured from Week 12 to Week 28	The SIAS is a 20-item self-report measure of anxiety experienced while interacting in dyads or groups. Items are rated on a 0-4 scale, yielding a range of scores from 0-80, with higher scores representing greater anxiety. We examined amount of change at from week 12 to week 28 as a secondary outcome. Change was calculated as Week 12 score minus Week 28 score, so a positive score equals greater positive change.
Brief Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale (BFNE)	Change measured from Week 12 to Week 28	The BFNE is a 12-item self-report measure of concern about negative evaluation by others. Items are rated on a 1-5 scale, yielding scores ranging from 12-60, with higher scores indicating greater fear of negative evaluation. We examined amount of change at from week 12 to week 28 as a secondary outcome. Change was calculated as Week 12 score minus Week 28 score, so a positive score equals greater positive change.
Liebowitz Self-Report Disability Scale (LSRDS)	Change measured from Week 12 to Week 28	The LSRDS is an 11-item self-report measure of the degree to which one's emotional problems limit one's ability to function in a variety of domains. Items are rated on a 0-3 scale of severity, and 10 of the 11 items (choosing either school or work as one area and omitting the other) are summed to produce a total score, ranging from 0-30. Higher scores represent greater disability. We examined amount of change at from week 12 to week 28 as a secondary outcome. Change was calculated as Week 12 score minus Week 28 score, so a positive score equals greater positive change.
Quality of Life Inventory (QOLI)	Change measured from Week 12 to Week 28	The QOLI is a 16-item self-report measure of life satisfaction. Each item is rated for importance (0-2) and satisfaction (-3 to +3), and these ratings are multiplied, summed, and divided by the number of non-zero entries to yield an average item score, which can range from -6 to +6. We examined amount of change at from week 12 to week 28 as a secondary outcome. Change was calculated as Week 12 score minus Week 28 score, so a positive score equals greater positive change.

Trial Locations

Locations (2): Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple University
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Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
New York State Psychiatric Institute Anxiety Disorders Clinic
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New York, New York, United States