Children under age 17 years who have severe social phobias benefit more from behavioral therapy than drug treatments, according to a new study published in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry.

Social phobia is not just shyness. It is an extreme fear of social situations that can make children avoid playing with their peers, reading aloud in class, or relating to adults.

Dr. Deborah Beidel took 139 children ages 3 to 17 years who suffer from social phobia and divided them into three groups. Group 1 got behavioral therapy; Group 2 took antidepressants; and Group 3 took placebos (sugar pills). After three months, about 80% of those in Group 1 improved, compared to 30% in Group 2 and only 6% in Group 3. By the end of the study, 53% of those in Group 1 were considered cured.

Talisman Camps offer summer camp programs and year round academic semesters for children with ADHD, Autism, and Asperger's.

Labels: social_skills, therapy, phobias

Posted By: Aspen Education Group