Mindfulness and acceptance-based group therapy versus traditional cognitive behavioral group therapy for social anxiety disorder: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract Recent research has supported the use of mindfulness and acceptance-based interventions for Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Objective The purpose of the present study was to compare mindfulness and acceptance-based group therapy (MAGT) with cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) with respect to outcome. It was hypothesized that MAGT and CBGT would both be superior to a control group but not significantly different from one another. Method Individuals ( N  = 137, mean age = 34 years, 54% female, 62% White, 20% Asian) diagnosed with SAD were randomly assigned to MAGT ( n  = 53), CBGT ( n  = 53) or a waitlist control group ( n  = 31). The primary outcome was social anxiety symptom severity assessed at baseline, treatment midpoint, treatment completion, and 3-month follow-up. Secondary outcomes were cognitive reappraisal, mindfulness, acceptance, and rumination. Depression, valued living, and group cohesion were also assessed. Results As hypothesized, MAGT and CBGT were both more effective than the control group but not significantly different from one another on social anxiety reduction and most other variables assessed. Conclusions The present research provides additional support for the use of mindfulness and acceptance-based treatments for SAD, and future research should examine the processes by which these treatments lead to change.