The effect of group counselling program based on cognitive behavioral approach on social anxiety, rejection sensitivity and interpersonal sensitivity

This study consists of preparation and application of a group counselling program which depends on cognitive behavioural approach and aims at helping university students with social anxiety symptoms to deal with the anxiety that they face in social contexts and testing its functionality together with no clinic diagnosis. The main purpose of the study is to determine the effectiveness of the group counseling program that is based on the cognitive behavioral approach, at reducing social anxiety and the sub-dimensions of social anxiety which are social fear and social avoidance of university students. Besides, the effect of applied intervention on the level of rejection sensitivity and interpersonal sensitivity which are presumed to be related with the social anxiety is also examined.The study was conducted in the 2009-2010 academic year among randomly selected 21 university students who were in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th year at Sakarya University, Faculty of Education. The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale was used to select the participants and the students who got high scores from the scale were randomly assigned to research groups (experiment n=11, control n=10).After the groups were formed, 9-week sessions were started for both groups simultaneously. Group counselling program which was based on cognitive behavioural approach was applied to the experiment group in order to help them deal with social anxiety, while the control group received different group activities that contain psychological elements which were not related to social anxiety.In this research, 2x3 (experimental/ control groups X pretest/posttest/follow up measurements) split plot design was used.The Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, Rejection Sensitivity Scale and SCL-90 Interpersonal Sensitivity Subtest were administered to experimental and control groups three times at different time periods (at the beginning of sessions, at the end of sessions and three months after the study) was computed to collect data. The scores from three measurements (pre-test, post-test and follow-up) were analyzed by using SPSS 18 packet program with a significance level of 0.5.According to the findings of the study, group X time effect was found to be significant for all variables of social anxiety, social phobia, social rejection, rejection sensitivity and interpersonal sensitivity which make up the dependent variables of the study (p<.05). Data proveded that students who were under different experimental conditions affected their pre-test, post-test and follow-up test scores differently. To determine the reason of this difference Bonferroni adjustment multiple comparisons tests were used. The findings of Bonferroni adjustment multiple comparisons tests and the variance analysis showed that cognitive-behavioral approachbased group psychological counselling is effective on lowering the levels of social anxiety, social phobia, social rejection, rejection sensitivity and interpersonal sensitivity and the effect continue to increase as well as being permanent after 3-month follow-up process. Especially, the decrease in the level of social anxiety, social phobia, social rejection, rejection sensitivity and interpersonal sensitivity seemed to be more significant in the period after the application. Under the light of the data, research findings were discussed and some suggestions are made for future research.Key Words:Social Anxiety, Social Fear, Social Avoidance, Rejection Sensitivity, Interpersonal Sensitivity