Effects of Contextual Schema Therapy on Interpersonal Sensitivity and Coping Self-Efficacy of Socially Anxious Female Adolescents

This study aimed to determine the effects of contextual schema therapy on the interpersonal sensitivity and coping self-efficacy of socially anxious female adolescents. The current study was conducted using a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test design with a control group and a one-month follow-up phase. The statistical population includes all 15- to 16-year-old female pupils of the second secondary level in the city of Borazjan in the academic year 2021-2022. Students initially performed the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), after which 40 students with higher social anxiety scores than the other subjects were randomly assigned to experimental and control groups (20 individuals in each group). The participants then performed the Interpersonal Sensitivity Scale (ISS) and the Coping Self-Efficacy Scale (CSES) prior to the intervention. The experimental group then received eight 70-minute virtual training sessions, whereas the control group received no intervention. After the final session, the post-test was administered, followed one month later by the follow-up. Analysis of Variance with Repeated Measurement was used to analyze the data in SPSS version 25. The results demonstrated that contextual schema therapy is effective in reducing interpersonal sensitivity and enhancing coping self-efficacy, and that this effect is long-lasting (p < 0.01). According to the findings of the study, therapists and clinical specialists should consider contextual schema therapy as an effective treatment strategy for social anxiety disorder.