Investigating the efficacy of paradoxical time table therapy on anxiety sensitivity and focused–attention in people with social anxiety disorder

Anxiety sensitivity and focused – attention are important components in creating and maintaining social anxiety disorder, and a defect in each of them can play a role as a potential risk factor in this disorder. Some studies have shown that paradoxical time table therapy can lead to a reduction in worry and social anxiety symptoms. In Iran, there is a research gap regarding the efficacy of this treatment method on anxiety sensitivity and focus of attention in people with social anxiety disorder.

The present study was conducted with the aim of investigating the efficacy of paradoxical time table therapy on anxiety sensitivity and focused–attention in people with social anxiety disorder.

The current research design was a semi-experimental pre-test-post-test type with a control group and a one-month follow-up. The statistical population of the research included all people who referred to counseling centers and psychotherapy clinics in Tehran in the fall and winter of 2022. The statistical sample included 30 people with social anxiety disorder who were selected as available samples and were divided into two groups of 15 people (experimental group and control group). Focous of Attention Questionnaire (Woody et al., 1997) and revised anxiety sensitivity index (Taylor & Cox 1998) were used to collect data. Also, the treatment of the paradoxical time table therapy (Besharat, 2017) was implemented in six sessionsof 45 minutes on the experimental group. In addition to descriptive statistics, data analysis was performed using multivariate analysis, variance analysis with repeated measures, Bonferroni post hoc and SPSS25 software.

The results of the research showed that the treatment of paradox time program on all components of anxiety sensitivity (fear of respiratory symptoms, Fear of anxiety reactions, fear of cardiovascular symptoms, cognitive dyscontrol and the total score) and focused – attention (self-focused attentio and attention to the outside) had a significant effect (P<0.001).

According to the findings of the current research, it seems that the paradoxical time table therapy can be used by psychologists and psychiatrists as an efficient treatment to reduce the symptoms of social anxiety disorder, especially anxiety sensitivity and focused–attention.