ABSTRACT
Clonazepam and placebo were administered in a double-blind pilot study to 75 outpatients with social phobia. The mean maximum dose of clonazepam was 2.4 mg/day at endpoint (range, 0.5 to 3 mg). Treatment was continued for up to 10 weeks. The results of an intent-to-treat analysis indicated superior effects of clonazepam on most measures. Response rates for clonazepam and placebo were 78.3 and 20.0%. Drug effects were apparent on performance and generalized social anxiety, on fear and phobic avoidance, on interpersonal sensitivity, on fears of negative evaluation, and on disability measures. Significant differences were evident by week 1, 2, or 6, depending upon the rating scale used. Clonazepam was well tolerated in general, although unsteadiness and dizziness were more severe and persistent than was the case for placebo subjects.
Subject(s)
Clonazepam/therapeutic use , Phobic Disorders/drug therapy , Adult , Anxiety/drug therapy , Clonazepam/administration & dosage , Clonazepam/adverse effects , Double-Blind Method , Female , Humans , Male , Phobic Disorders/psychology , Pilot Projects , Psychiatric Status Rating ScalesABSTRACT
An observer measure of social phobic symptoms, referred to as the Brief Social Phobia Scale, consists of 11 items, 7 evaluating commonly feared or avoided situations and 4 additional items measuring autonomic distress. Symptoms represented by the scale items are found frequently in social phobia, and the instrument demonstrates acceptable interrater and test-retest reliability, internal consistency, concurrent validity against other measures of social phobia, and the ability of patients to change as a result of treatment. It can also detect differences between active treatment and placebo treatment. A comparison of the sensitivity of this scale with other scales in detection of size of effect also is presented.
