[The influence of self-improving based group psychotherapy in defense mechanisms for the clients with social anxiety disorder].

Objective: To evaluate the influence and therapeutic effect of self-improving based group psychotherapy which bases on pathopsychology mechanism of social anxiety disorder (SAD) in denfense mechanisms for the client with SAD.

Methods: 70 psychotherapy clients and inpatients with SAD were involved in this group psychotherapy voluntarily. Every group had six to eight clients with SAD and two psychotherapists. Psychotherapy was conducted once a week with 2 to 2. 5 hours for a period of 8 weeks. The evaluation of the therapeutic effect contains the subjective perception of the clients with SAD, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS), and Defense Style Questionnaire (DSQ).

Results: 65 clients with SAD completed the therapy. The clients reported self and social functions were improved after 8 weeks therapy. The total score of LSAS after the therapy was significantly lower than that of before the therapy (Z = -5.673, P=0.000). A significant decrease in immature defense machanism and in neurotic defense machanism were observed (Z = -4.866, -2.973; P=0.000, 0.003 respectively). And a trend of increasing the use of mature defense machanism was also observed (Z = -2.780, P=0.005).

Conclusion: Self-improving based group psychotherapy can encourage the clients with SAD accept themselves and cure the social anxiety symptoms. And there was a increasing use of mature defense machanism. These imply the clinic application value of the studied group psychotherapy.