Social Skills Training (SST) / Sociaal Vaardigheidstherapie (SVT).

The present comprehensive group treatment is an end-product of clinical research with psychiatric in- and outpatients that started in the early 1970s. This cognitive-behavioral group therapy for social anxiety and social incompetence has a social skills perspective. The treatment model is based on a 'learning by doing' paradigm and combines the use of associative learning principles with those of social and cognitive learning. Treatment is composed of three overlapping phases: Firstly, training in basic social skills, such as observing, listening, giving and receiving feedback and training in nonverbal components of social behavior such as eye-contact and loudness of speech. Secondly, training in specific social responses such as making and refusing requests, giving and receiving compliments, receiving refusals, initiating and continuing a conversation, giving and receiving criticisms, stating positive self-assertions, standing up for one’s rights, inviting, asking for information, ending social intercourses and expressing opinions. Thirdly, training in self-management skills such as self-monitoring, setting concrete and realistic goals, setting realistic self-standards and self-reinforcement.
In this phase the participants are taught to use in their daily life, the procedures and skills they have learned in order to maintain and enlarge them. They therefore acquire problem-solving strategies as a means of handling future problems.

The following self-management procedures are applied: (a) self-monitoring of performed and avoided social behavior; (b) self-application of successive approximation in social situations; (c) self-evaluation of practice behavior by means of self-determined standards; (d) self-reinforcement; (e) learning to employ a problem-solving strategy by integrating approaches (a)-(d).

The training is given by an experienced behavior therapist in groups of 5-8 participants. The training is comprised of 17 sessions of 1 ½ hr once a week, which are followed by three sessions once a month. Each training session starts with a discussion of the homework assignments supplemented by written feedback by the therapists. After this a great part of the session is spent on rehearsing particular skills. Following this, new homework assignments are given and the session is evaluated in terms of what have you learned.

The effectiveness of the SST was investigated in several studies in large groups of socially-anxious and social phobic psychiatric inpatients and outpatients and large effect sizes were demonstrated. In comparison to no treatment control groups, the SST resulted in these patients in a clinical significant decrease in social anxiety as well as a clinical significant increase in social skills. In addition, the SST was demonstrated to be more effective in these patients than cognitive therapy.

A Dutch manual is published by Bohn, Stafleu & Van Loghum (see Van Dam-Baggen & Kraaimaat, 2000). In addition, a German manual (Soziales Kompetenztraining: eine kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutische Gruppenbehandlung sozialer Angst und sozialer Responsen) [article in .pdf format] and an English manual (Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for social anxiety and social incompetence) [article in .pdf format] are available for behavior therapists.[article in pdf format]

Treatment manual

Van Dam-Baggen R. & Kraaimaat, F. (1979). Assertieve training (Assertive training). In: Handboek voor Gedragstherapie (Eds. J.W.G. Orlemans, W. Brinkman, W.P. Haayman, & E.J. Zwaan), B.7 1-76. Deventer: Van Loghum Slaterus.

Van Dam-Baggen, R. & Kraaimaat, F.W. (2000). Sociaal vaardigheidstherapie (Social skills training). Houten: Bohn, Stafleu en Van Loghum.

Van Dam-Baggen, R. & Kraaimaat, F.W. (2006). Soziales Kompetenztraining: eine kognitiv-verhaltenstherapeutische Gruppenbehandlung sozialer Angst und sozialer Responsen. Maarn/Nijmegen, public domain. [article in .pdf format]

Van Dam-Baggen, R. & Kraaimaat, F.W. (2014). Cognitive-behavioral group therapy for social anxiety and social incompetence: a social skills perspective. Maarn/Nijmegen, Open access book. [article in pdf format

Publications on the effectiveness of the SST/SVT

Van Dam-Baggen, R. & Kraaimaat, F. (1977). Gestructureerde groepsassertieve training bij psychiatrische patiënten. (Assertive training in groups with psychiatric patients). Tijdschrift voor Psychotherapie, 3, 39-45.

Van Dam-Baggen, Rien & Kraaimaat, Floor (1984). Een op zelfregulatie gerichte sociaal vaardigheidstherapie in groepen (A cognitive-behavioral social skills training in groups). Gedragstherapie, 17, 281-296.

Van Dam-Baggen, C.M.J. & Kraaimaat, F.W. (1986). A group social skills training program with psychiatric patients: outcome, dropout rate and prediction. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 24, 2, 161-169. [article in .pdf format]

Van Dam-Baggen, R., Kraaimaat, F.W. & Crouzen, M. (1993). De effectiviteit van sociaalvaardigheidstherapie bij drie subtypen sociaal angstige psychiatrische patiënten (Effect of social skills training in subtypes of social anxious psychiatric patients). Gedragstherapie, 26, 21-32.

Dam-Baggen, R. & Kraaimaat, F. (1994). Sociaal functioneren en sociaalvaardigheidstherapie bij psychiatrische patiënten. (Social functioning and social skills training in psychiatric patients). Gedragstherapie, 27, 19-32.

Van Dam-Baggen, R., Kraaimaat, F.W. & Van Emmerik, A. (1997). Sociaal vaardigheidstherapie en cognitive gedragstherapie even effectief bij sociaal angstige psychiatrische patiënten? (Effectiveness of social skills training and cognitive therapy in socially anxious psychiatric patients). Gedragstherapie, 30 (4), 253-266.

Van Dam-Baggen, R. & Kraaimaat, F.W. (2000). Social skills training in two subtypes of psychiatric patients with generalized social phobia. Scandinavian Journal of Behavior Therapy, 29, 1-7.

Van Dam-Baggen, C.M.J. & Kraaimaat, F.W. (2000). Group social skill training or cognitive group therapy as the clinical treatment of choice for generalized social phobia? Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 14, 5, 437-451. [article in .pdf format]