Practice Passage Test - 9 | Practice Passages for MCAT PDF Download

Passage

The passage discusses social anxiety disorder, which is a mental illness characterized by an excessive fear or anxiety related to social situations. People with this disorder experience irrational fear of negative evaluation from others and often avoid social interactions altogether. Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) aims to modify irrational thoughts and behaviors. A researcher conducted a study to evaluate the effectiveness of a manual-based CBT intervention for social anxiety disorder. Clinical psychologists trained in CBT were recruited and provided with a manual containing various CBT exercises. 

Eligible individuals were randomized into the CBT group or a control group. Questionnaires were administered at the beginning and end of the 22-week study. The study's results were presented in Table 1, showing scores on social anxiety, social phobia, anxiety, and depression measures. Additionally, the passage mentions the possibility of anxiety being a learned response acquired through classical conditioning and provides an example of a patient who developed social anxiety after a traumatic event.