Cognitive-behavioral treatment of social phobia in children and adolescents: A review

Background: (Cognitive-)behavioral interventions are increasingly being employed in the treatment of social phobia in children and adolescents. Objective: This paper reviews the current status of research on treatment of child and 19 adolescent social phobia and investigates the efficacy of these interventions. Method: A systematic literature review yielded only nine psychotherapy studies. The results of these studies were integrated in a meta-analysis using the random effects model. Results: Despite the small number of studies, substantial empirical evidence was found for the efficacy of behavioral and cognitive-behavioral treatments. The temporal stability of the results could also be confirmed. The present empirical basis, however, does not allow for conclusions regarding differences in efficacy between behavioral and cognitive-behavioral interventions or regarding the significance of parental involvement. Conclusion: The investigated interventions therefore seem particularly suitable for the treatment of social phobia in children and adolescents. However, further research is needed.