Sosyal Anksiyete Bozukluğu ve Kabul ve Kararlılık Terapisi Üzerine Bir Derleme
Acceptance and Commitment Therapy in Social Anxiety Disorder: A Review

Summary/Abstract: Social anxiety disorder is a mental health problem characterized by intense fear and anxiety experienced in social situations where one may be evaluated by others, with a lifetime prevalence of approximately 5.6%, placing it among the most common psychopathologies. The disorder typically emerges in early adolescence and, when left untreated, may lead to significant functional impairment in interpersonal relationships, academic and occupational life. Although cognitive behavioral therapy has demonstrated efficacy in the treatment of social anxiety disorder, the absence of meaningful symptom reduction in approximately one-third of patients has brought alternative and complementary treatment approaches to the agenda. In this context, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) has emerged as a third-wave psychotherapy approach that does not aim to directly reduce symptoms but rather to transform the individual’s relationship with their internal experiences and facilitate the construction of a valuedriven life. The aim of this review is to address the definition, etiology, epidemiology, symptoms, theoretical foundations, and treatment approaches of social anxiety disorder, and to evaluate the effectiveness of ACT for this disorder within the framework of current literature. The reviewed studies indicate that ACT demonstrates a large effect size on social anxiety symptoms compared to waitlist controls, shows efficacy comparable to cognitive behavioral therapy, and that psychological flexibility plays a decisive role in the change process.

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