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Quaderni di Psicoterapia Cognitiva - Open Access

Studies and researches

No. 47 (2020)

New technologies and psychotherapy: In-depth study of the treatment of social anxiety disorder

Submitted
febbraio 5, 2021
Published
2021-02-05

Abstract

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is one of the most common and disabling psychological disorders and it tends to become chronic and to cause signifi cant damage to a person’s quality of life as well as leading to signifi cant social costs.
Despite the high prevalence of the disorder, only 10% of people in fact receive pharmacotherapy and psychotherapy from qualifi ed professionals. Indeed, there are several barriers to accessing treatment including fear of stigmatization and negative judgment or the expectation that others may fi nd their behavior or physical symptoms embarrassing. The nature of the disorder is a major reason that prevents people from seeking professional advice.
Interventions based on new technologies have the advantage of being able to overcome several of these barriers. In fact, various tools have been identifi ed that use information and telecommunication technologies to improve prevention, diagnosis and therapy activities.
In recent years, several studies have shown their effi cacy on a variety of disorders including social anxiety disorder.
The purpose of this article is to provide a review of the resources currently available in the field of new technologies that can be used in the fi eld of mental health and in particular in social anxiety disorder.

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