4 - (SYM 72) Acceptability and Preliminary Efficacy of a Brief, Common Humanity- and Exposure-based Group Intervention for Socially Anxious Students

Growing evidence suggests the benefits of self-compassion training among individuals with elevated social anxiety symptoms or social anxiety disorder (SAD). However, less is known about whether self-compassion training enhances existing evidence-based treatment like exposure therapy. In the present study, we examined the initial utility of one facet of self-compassion—common humanity—and hypothesized that relative to a self-directed exposure intervention, a common humanity-centered group exposure intervention would be associated with improved social anxiety symptoms, common humanity, and greater number of exposures completed for homework at one-month follow-up.

Socially anxious undergraduates (N = 140) were randomized in groups of three to nine participants to either a brief (three-hour) common humanity exposure intervention (n = 68) or a self-directed exposure control condition (n = 72). In the common humanity exposure condition, participants engaged in experiential exercises that highlighted shared fears followed by nine social anxiety exposures. Participants in both conditions were taught about exposure therapy and were encouraged to engage in social exposures for one-month following the study visit. All participants then completed a one-month follow-up assessment.

Initial findings demonstrate that participation in a common humanity exposure intervention reduced social anxiety symptoms from baseline to one-month follow-up significantly more than the self-directed exposure control condition (p = 0.04). Additionally, participants in the common humanity exposure condition reported greater satisfaction with the intervention immediately post-intervention (p < 0.001) and at one-month follow-up (p = 0.01), relative to the control condition, highlighting the acceptability of a brief self-compassion-enhanced exposure intervention. Contrary to our hypothesis, the conditions did not differ on common humanity over time (p = 0.61) or on the portion of participants who reported completing any exposures for homework (p = 0.23). Exit interviews were conducted with participants in the common humanity exposure condition, and qualitative findings will be presented to better understand intervention acceptability.

In sum, a brief, common humanity-focused group exposure intervention appears acceptable and promising for reducing social anxiety.