The treatment of XXXX . Real-life rehearsal with nonprofessional therapists.

@entity1 @entity913 @entity148 @entity1169
Sixteen socially phobic outpatients underwent a 4-week course of social skills training that attempted to maximize rehearsal in real-life settings. The therapy was largely conducted by nonprofessional volunteers after a 2-hour training workshop. It consisted of multiple role-played practice in the clinic, followed immediately by rehearsal in a real-life setting in the company of a nonprofessional therapist and a fellow @entity1 . Subsequently, @entity1 were randomly paired to perform further rehearsals between sessions. Drug therapy was controlled by double blind assignment to @entity1169 or inert placebo throughout the course of treatment. Measures of specific fears, generalized social @entity148 , self-image, and global tension and @entity148 were administered 1 month before treatment, immediately before and after treatment, and at 6 months follow-up. During a 4-week drug-free period prior to active treatment no improvement was noted on any measures. After the 4-week treatment period significant improvement had occurred on all outcome measures. @entity1169 and placebo subgroups showed very similar results. Treatment gains were sustained at follow-up. It was concluded that repeated behavior rehearsal, both in the clinic and in real life is a cost-effective treatment procedure for many @entity913 . The approach is straightforward and can be applied by nonprofessionals, including the @entity1 themselves, after limited training and with minimal supervision.
