The Relationships Between Metacognition, Anticipatory Processing, and Social Anxiety

2015 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 114-126 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanos P. Vassilopoulos ◽  
Andreas Brouzos ◽  
Nicholas J. Moberly
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Thinking Style ◽  
Repetitive Thinking ◽  
Anticipatory Processing ◽  
Social Interaction Anxiety ◽  
Interaction Anxiety ◽  
The Relationship

Anticipatory processing (AP) is a repetitive thinking style associated with social anxiety that has been understudied relative to other similar constructs (e.g., rumination, worry). The primary goal of this study was the development and evaluation of the Positive Beliefs about Anticipatory Processing Questionnaire (PB-APQ) with a sample of 301 undergraduate students. Further, it was predicted that anticipatory processing would mediate the relationship between positive beliefs about anticipatory processing and social interaction anxiety. The findings from this study suggest that PB-APQ is a valid and reliable construct. Anticipatory processing was shown to partially mediate the relationship between positive beliefs about anticipatory processing and social interaction anxiety. The results provide initial evidence for the suggestion that individuals who tend to hold positive beliefs about anticipatory processing tend to engage in anticipatory processing, which may increase social interaction anxiety.

Social Interaction Anxiety and the Discounting of Positive Interpersonal Events

2010 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 597-609 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephanos P. Vassilopoulos ◽  
Robin Banerjee
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Undergraduate Students ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Interpretation Bias ◽  
Treatment Interventions ◽  
Social Interaction Anxiety ◽  
Nonclinical Sample ◽  
Interaction Anxiety ◽  
The Relationship

Background: Recent research has indicated that individuals with social interaction anxiety make biased interpretations of positive social interactions, with greater general apprehension in response to such events and more negative predictions about the future. There has also been some preliminary evidence for a second facet of interpretation bias, namely a failure to accept others’ positive reactions at face value, but this has so far not been adequately studied. Method: The present study developed a new measure of this “discounting” dimension and utilized a nonclinical sample of undergraduate students to provide an initial analysis of the scale. Results: Results provide early support for the psychometric properties of our scale, and indicate that discounting mediates the relationship between social interaction anxiety and low positive affect, over and above the previously studied aspect of positive event interpretation bias. Conclusions: The implications for treatment interventions and further research are discussed.

A Comparison of Cognitive and Behavioral Approaches for Reducing Cost Bias in Social Anxiety

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. 210-220 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth A. Possis ◽  
Joshua J. Kemp ◽  
James J. Lickel ◽  
Jennifer T. Sy ◽  
Laura J. Dixon ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Social Phobia ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Cognitive Restructuring ◽  
Behavioral Experiment ◽  
Target Cost ◽  
Social Interaction Anxiety ◽  
Single Session Intervention ◽  
Interaction Anxiety

Cognitive-behavioral theories suggest that anxiety is maintained in part by estimates of the probability and cost of feared negative outcomes. Social phobia may be unique among the anxiety disorders in that it is characterized by overestimates of the cost of events that are objectively noncatastrophic (e.g., committing social mishaps). As such, treatment approaches that target cost bias may be particularly effective in reducing social phobia symptoms. This study examined the efficacy of 2 cost-specific techniques in a single-session intervention for social anxiety. Individuals (n = 61) with elevated social interaction anxiety were randomly assigned to an expressive writing control condition, a cognitive restructuring condition, or a behavioral experiment condition. Results demonstrated that the cognitive restructuring condition produced significantly greater improvement in indices of social anxiety than the other conditions. Reduction in cost bias fully mediated the significantly greater improvement in social interaction anxiety in the cognitive restructuring condition relative to the behavioral experiment condition. The present findings highlight the value of techniques designed to reduce cost biases in social anxiety. Clinical implications are discussed.

A Comparison of Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory Measures: Unique Associations With Social Interaction Anxiety and Social Observation Anxiety

Assessment ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 627-639 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sam L. Kramer ◽  
Benjamin F. Rodriguez
Keyword(s):  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Reinforcement Sensitivity Theory ◽  
Sensitivity Theory ◽  
Social Interaction Anxiety ◽  
Reinforcement Sensitivity ◽  
Social Observation ◽  
Freeze System ◽  
Interaction Anxiety

Evidence suggests that the behavior inhibition system (BIS) and fight-flight-freeze system play a role in the individual differences seen in social anxiety disorder; however, findings concerning the role of the behavior approach system (BAS) have been mixed. To date, the role of revised reinforcement sensitivity theory (RST) subsystems underlying social anxiety has been measured with scales designed for the original RST. This study examined how the BIS, BAS, and fight, flight, freeze components of the fight-flight-freeze system uniquely relate to social interaction anxiety and social observation anxiety using both a measure specifically designed for the revised RST and a commonly used original RST measure. Comparison of regression analyses with the Jackson-5 and the commonly used BIS/BAS Scales revealed important differences in the relationships between RST subsystems and social anxiety depending on how RST was assessed. Limitations and future directions for revised RST measurement are discussed.

scholarly journals Self-Focused Attention and Post-Event Processing: Relevance to Social Performance Anxiety and Social Interaction Anxiety

2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-82 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob B. Holzman ◽  
David P. Valentiner ◽  
Kathleen S. McCraw
Keyword(s):  
College Students ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
Social Anxiety ◽  
Social Performance ◽  
Performance Anxiety ◽  
Focused Attention ◽  
Event Processing ◽  
Social Interaction Anxiety ◽  
High Standards ◽  
Interaction Anxiety

This study examined the roles of self-focused attention and post-event processing in social performance anxiety and social interaction anxiety. College students (N = 101) completed measures of social performance anxiety, social interaction anxiety, self-focused attention, post-event processing, and beliefs related to social anxiety. Interoceptive self-focused attention and post-event processing predicted social performance anxiety after controlling for social interaction anxiety. The associations with social interaction anxiety were not significant after controlling for social performance anxiety. Associations of behavioral self-focused attention with social performance anxiety and social interaction anxiety were not significant after controlling for interoceptive self-focused attention. No evidence of an interaction between self-focused attention and post-event processing in the prediction of social anxiety was found. This study found no evidence that the associations of interoceptive self-focused attention and post-event processing with social performance anxiety were statistically mediated by high standards, conditional beliefs about self, and unconditional beliefs about self. These results and their theoretical implications are discussed.

Co-Rumination May Mitigate Depressive and Anxious Symptoms for Those High in Social Interaction Anxiety

2021 ◽  
Vol 40 (5) ◽  
pp. 381-403
Author(s):  
Megan G. Strickland ◽  
Phyllis Anastasio
Keyword(s):  
Depressive Symptoms ◽  
Social Interaction ◽  
College Women ◽  
Internalizing Symptoms ◽  
Direct Relationship ◽  
Socially Anxious ◽  
Social Interaction Anxiety ◽  
Interaction Anxiety ◽  
Positive Social Support ◽  
The Relationship

Introduction: Early co-rumination research has demonstrated that engagement in co-rumination, or persistent discussion of one's problems at length, can lead to increased depressive and anxious symptoms. There is limited research examining the direct relationship between a specialized type of anxiety—social interaction anxiety—and co-rumination, and that research has conflicting results, making it unclear what the relationship between the two is. The purpose of the present study was to further examine the relationship between co-rumination and social interaction anxiety, depressive symptoms, and symptoms of anxiety. Method: Ninety-six college women and men completed online questionnaires twice, separated by one month. Results: We found that co-rumination at Time 1 negatively predicted social interaction anxiety at Time 2. We also found co-rumination predicted reduced depressive symptoms, but only among those who had moderate and high levels of social interaction anxiety. In that respect, our findings replicate van Zalk and Tillfors (2017), who found that co-rumination acts as a buffer against depressive symptoms for individuals high in social anxiety. Our study also offers an extension of van Zalk and Tillfors in that the same pattern was found for anxious symptoms, but only among those with the highest levels of social interaction anxiety. Discussion: Therefore, co-rumination for highly socially-anxious individuals may serve as a form of positive social support, which highlights important individual differences on internalizing symptoms.

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