Rescripting Social Trauma: A Pilot Study Investigating Imagery Rescripting as an Adjunct to Cognitive Behaviour Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

Background The current pilot study aimed to investigate the benefit of imagery rescripting (IR) as an adjunct to Group Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (GCBT) for SAD, given recent research suggesting that IR is beneficial in the treatment of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Methods Fifteen participants with SAD completed eight sessions of GCBT and two additional individual sessions of IR to address negative meanings embedded in memories of traumatic social experiences. Results As expected, participants reported significant reductions in fear of negative evaluation and identification of negative core beliefs as valid/accurate over the course of the two session IR intervention. Moreover, IR yielded significant improvements in negative affect and maladaptive appraisals associated with self-imagery and aversive memories, as well as depressive symptoms. However, unexpectedly, IR did not yield significant additive reductions in social anxiety symptoms over and above GCBT. Discussion Results indicate that IR appears to be a beneficial adjunct to GCBT, and lack of improvement in social anxiety symptoms across IR sessions may be due to methodological limitations. Outcomes suggest that IR may also benefit patients with comorbid depression, given high rates of comorbid unipolar depression for people with SAD, presenting an exciting area for further investigation. Conclusions Taken together, findings suggest that IR may be a valuable adjunct to GCBT for SAD, especially among patients with comorbid unipolar depression. However, further research including a follow up period is indicated.