Multiple group memberships protect against anticipatory anxiety for social situations

For people with social anxiety, ongoing exposure to feared situations is crucial for both treatment and the prevention of relapse. The COVID-19 pandemic—with prolonged, often enforced, reductions in people's contact—reduced such may thus have exacerbated anxiety symptoms. In this three-wave longitudinal study (N = 212) we explored whether membership multiple groups could protect against anticipatory for, avoidance of, situations. line our predictions, pre-pandemic group memberships reduced at Waves 1 2 (June August 2020). Controlling participants' memberships, maintained (from Wave 2) predicted lower avoidance, symptoms 3. These findings are discussed an emphasis on how identity theorising cognitive behavioural approaches can be successfully integrated.