A 2-Year Follow-up of Social Phobia

Abstract
Although social phobia is thought to be a chronic disorder, little is known about its long-term course in patients who engage in brief treatment studies. We, therefore, conducted a follow-up study of social phobics who had participated in a brief, placebo-controlled treatment trial of clonazepam. Of the original 75 subjects, 56 were assessed through telephone interview and self-report questionnaires that evaluated current social phobia symptoms. Information was also gathered about treatment received in the 2-year interval since the initial pharmacotherapy trial. The group as a whole showed maintenance of the gains acquired during initial treatment. On a number of symptom scales, subjects initially treated with clonazepam exhibited significantly less severe scores compared with placebo subjects. This study provides evidence of long-term benefit for social phobics when treated with a brief medication trial.

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