School-Based interventions for adolescents with social anxiety disorder

This chapter presents the rationale and potential advantages of treating social anxiety disorder (SAD) in schools. School-based programs provide increased access to evidence-based treatment for youth in need, and interventions for SAD may benefit from delivery in an ecologically valid context in which many feared situations occur. Two interventions for adolescents with SAD designed specifically for school-based delivery, the original Intervencin en Adolescentes con Fobia Social: Therapy for Adolescents with Social Phobia (IAFS; Garcia-Lopez (2000, 2007) and Skills for Academic and Social Success (SASS; Masia et al. 1999) are described. This chapter focuses on considerations and adaptations necessary for school-based interventions to fit into the school environment. We emphasize how such programs capitalize on the school environment to implement effective exposures and practice social skills. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the methods and challenges associated with the long-term sustainability of offering interventions in schools, including the use of existing school personnel to implement evidence-based interventions. Future directions of school-based interventions for youth with SAD are discussed.