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Skills training in cognitive behavioral therapy for social anxiety


” Effects of skills training in cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder: a dismantling study”

Introduction Skills training in treatment of psychological disorders has been implemented in the educational programmes run by Norwegian Association of Cognitive Therapy (NFKT) over recent years (NFKT, 2020). Skills training consists of role-playing, where therapy skills are practiced after skills are demonstrated by an expert skills-trainer. Separate training days where only skills training is practiced has been implemented as a supplement to theoretical/didactic teaching and use of video demonstrations, as a means of enhancing the student’s ability to practice skills in cognitive therapy. However, there is little research investigating whether inclusion of skills training results in better therapist skills in students of cognitive therapy educational programme

Cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder (CT-SAD; Clark & Wells, 1995) is a recommended first-line treatment for social anxiety disorder (NICE, 2013). Research has found that treatment specific competence in CT-SAD predicts outcome in cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder (Ginzburg et al., 2012). Hence, if skills training enhances therapists’ competence in CTSAD, this may be associated with better outcomes for patients with social anxiety disorders.

The main objective of the current study is to investigate whether including skills-training in a two-day course on cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder has an effect on therapists’ self-efficacy, satisfaction, and competence. The study has the following research questions:

  1. Will the inclusion of skills-training in a two-day training course in cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder increase self-efficacy and satisfaction in students to a larger degree than students receiving a two-day training course with the same content, but without skills-training?
  2. Will the inclusion of skills-training result in that the group which receives this training score higher on competence in delivering cognitive therapy for social anxiety disorder?

Collaborative project with the Norwegian Association for Cognitive Therapy and Professor David Clark at the University of Oxford

Project group and organization

National project group in the research project consists of:

  • Jon Fauskanger Bjåstad (project manager), Doctor of psychology (clinical). Director of research, Division of psychiatry, Stavanger University Hospital.
  • Asle Hoffart, Professor. University of Oslo/Modum Bad.
  • Jan Ivar Røssberg, Professor. University of Oslo.
  • Catharina Elisabeth Arfwedson Wang, Professor. University of Tromsø
  • Kitty Dahl. Researcher. RBUP Øst-Sør.
  • Peter Prescott, Clinical Psychologist and skills trainer for NFKT.

Local project group at the University of Tromsø (UiT) site consisting of:

  • Veronica Lorentzen (project manager UIT), Clinic director/PhD, IKP, University of Tromsø
  • Kjersti Lillevoll, Associate professor, IKP, University of Tromsø
  • Jane Kjøterøe, Assistant professor, IKP, University of Tromsø
  • Toril Sørheim Nilsen, Associate professor, IKP, University of Tromsø

International collaborator and co-author:

  • Professor David Clark, Oxford University, UK (https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/team/david-clark).

 

 

 

 

 



Members:

Veronica Lorentzen (Principal investigator)
Catharina Elisabeth Arfwedson Wang
Kjersti Lillevoll
Jane Katrine Kjøterøe
Toril Sørheim Nilsen


Financial/grant information:

We have secured financing for the study through the Norwegian Association of Cognitive Therapy (NFKT) and the University of Tromsø, UiT, will also contribute with staff administering the project on site as part of the psychology study programme at the university.