The effect of acceptance and commitment based therapy on the symptoms of social anxiety in shy girls adolescents

Introduction: Shyness as a disability overlaps with social anxiety disorder. Acceptance and commitment therapy is one of the interventions that has been used in the treatment of many anxiety and mood disorders. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment-based therapy on the symptoms of social anxiety in adolescent girls. Methods: The statistical population of this experimental research included all-female high school students in Tabriz in the academic year 2020-2021, that 30 students who received the diagnosis of shyness in accordance with the cutoff score in the Revised Cheek and Buss Shyness Scale (1983) were selected by multi-stage cluster and available sampling and they were randomly replaced in experimental and control groups (15 people in each group). Both groups completed the social phobia scale of Connor et al.and after completing eight sessions of acceptance and commitment-based therapy (two sessions per week for 4 weeks) in the experimental group, the scale was completed by the groups. Data were analyzed using the analysis of covariance in SPSS.16.  Results: Based on the results of the analysis of covariance, it was found that acceptance and commitment-based therapy has a significant effect on the symptoms of social anxiety in shy female students (p<0.001). Conclusion: Considering that teaching acceptance and commitment-based therapy has an effect on the symptoms of social anxiety in shy female students; Teaching this therapeutic approach is suggested as an effective intervention method to improve the symptoms of social anxiety in shy students.