Social anxiety disorder is a psychological disorder that refers to excessive nervousness, fear, and fear of being judged or shamed by others in social situations. Although traditional psychotherapy methods are effective, their effectiveness is not good. Intangible cultural heritage elements cultural design uses traditional cultural elements to create unique products and experiences, which can provide a bridge for patients to communicate with others.

100 patients with social anxiety disorder were randomly assigned to the experimental and control groups. The experimental group received the intangible cultural design intervention, while the control group received conventional psychotherapy. The mental health status of the subjects was assessed by Stanford Acute Stress Response Questionnaire (SASRQ) and 3-Minute Delirium Diagnosis Scale (3D-CAM) scale scores before and after the intervention.

The results showed that the social anxiety of the experimental group was significantly reduced and the mental health status was significantly improved after the intervention, while the intervention effect of the control group was relatively limited. It shows that intangible cultural and creative design has a positive impact on the mental health of patients with social anxiety disorder.

Through the cultural and creative design of intangible cultural heritage elements, patients can reduce anxiety by creating and appreciating works. At the same time, patients can understand and experience traditional culture to enhance their cultural identity and self-esteem. In addition, patients can share work and exchange creative experiences with others to improve social skills. This method provides a new approach to the psychological treatment of patients with social anxiety disorder.