Abstract

The present study examined the role of homework compliance in the effectiveness of cognitive-behavioral group treatment(CBGT) for social phobia. Treatment consisted of ten weekly 2-hr sessions. Among 42 social phobic subjects, 25 subjects completed posttreatment assessment and 21 subjects completed the 1 month follow-up assessment. Treatment included two major components: cognitive restructuring(sessions 1-5), and exposure(sessions 6-10). Homework compliance was assessed by various measures which included the amount and quality of the homework clients actually completed and clients' self-rating of his or her homework. The results were summarized as follows: First, the homework compliance was found to be an important outcome predictor. Especially, compliance with homework assignments in general and compliance with exposure tasks were revealed to be important. Second, the homework compliance was important to therapeutic effectiveness, but in the first half period of CBGT which stressed cognitive restructuring, recording Thought Record Form was the most important factor whereas in the latter half period of CBGT which combined with exposure, the amount of exposure in vivo was the most important factor in the outcome of treatment. Overall, the results of this study suggested that the homework compliance was a noticeable factor in the outcome of CBGT for social phobia. The results are discussed and directions for future research are suggested.