Examining the effectiveness of the cognitive-behavioral approach on the self-awareness of public health in students with social anxiety disorder

This study sought to determine if a cognitive-behavioral intervention could enhance the understanding and application of public health concepts among students struggling with social anxiety, evaluating changes in both knowledge and self-reported awareness. Utilizing a control group, the study followed a quasi-experimental pretest-posttest design. For this study, we used an available sampling method to select 30 students experiencing social anxiety during their second academic semester. These students were then randomly allocated into experimental (n=15) and control (n=15) groups. Participants completed the Watson and Friend Social Anxiety Scale, a widely used self-report questionnaire, and the Fetter Interpersonal Skills Questionnaire, which focuses on interpersonal effectiveness, in this study. Twelve 45-minute group sessions, held twice weekly, delivered the cognitive-behavioral approach. Participants actively worked through techniques and shared their experiences. The data underwent analysis through multivariate analysis of covariance (MANCOVA). Posttest scores on public health self-awareness showed a dramatic difference (p < 0.001) between the experimental and control groups of students with social anxiety disorder after controlling for initial scores. Therefore, the cognitive-behavioral approach, with its focus on restructuring negative thought patterns and practicing coping skills, proves an effective intervention for boosting self-awareness related to public health among students with social anxiety disorder.

Cognitive-behavioral approach; public health self-awareness; social anxiety disorder; public health