A follow-up study on treatment effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy on social anxiety disorder: Impact of COVID-19 fear during post-lockdown period.

There is a paucity of research on the role of COVID-19 related fear and lockdown on social anxiety disorder (SAD). In a follow-up study during post-lockdown period, we compared social anxiety of individuals with SAD who received cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) versus psychoeducational-supportive therapy (PST) before the COVID-19 pandemic, and the impact of COVID-19 related fear. Social anxiety severity was rated by the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) at pre-intervention, post-intervention, and post-lockdown periods.