Repetitive Negative Thinking in Social Anxiety Disorder 1: Anticipatory Processing

Cognitive models of social anxiety disorder (SAD) emphasize anticipatory processing as a prominent maintaining factor that occurs before social-evaluative events. Anticipatory processing occurs when a socially anxious individual is expecting a social event and can be described as a mode of repetitive negative thinking dominated by past failures, negative images of oneself, predictions of poor performance and rejection. The present review examined the literature on anticipatory processing in social anxiety in an effort to highlight important findings pertaining to this construct. Correlational and experimental studies have investigated the relationship between anticipatory processing and the behavioural, physiological, cognitive and affective outcomes for socially anxious individuals. Studies investigating the characteristics, causes, and consequences of anticipatory processing according to models of social anxiety were included for review. The majority of study designs include those investigating anticipatory processing prior to social-evaluative threat. Directions for future research are discussed and an overview of a framework for explaining anticipatory processing biases in social anxiety is presented.

A Research Pathway for Experimental Psychopathology: The Role of External Validity Criteria

This paper outlines a putative pathway for experimental psychopathology research developing psychological models of clinical disorders. The pathway uses established external validity criteria to define the pathway and clarifies the important role that research conducted on healthy participants can play in our understanding of clinical disorders. Defining a research pathway for experimental psychopathology in this way has a number of benefits It would (1) make explicit the need to address the external validity of developed models, (2) provide a clear set of criteria that would be required to extend research on healthy individuals to diagnostic populations, and (3) recommend using general psychological knowledge when developing models of psychopathology.

Obsessive Patients and Deontological Guilt: A Review

In line with the Appraisal Theories of Obsessive–Compulsive Disorder (OCD), in this review we present some experiments aimed at demonstrating the role of fear of guilt in OCD. What kind of guilt do OC patients want to prevent? Several studies suggest the existence of two different types of guilt emotions, namely deontological guilt and altruistic guilt. This research suggests that the former, more than the latter, is involved in OCD. Moreover, it demonstrates that the deontological guilt is related to disgust, and that this relationship could explain why both fear of contamination and fear of guilt are often co-present in obsessive patients. Finally, research shows that the Not Just Right Experience (NJRE) in OCD can be influenced by the deontological guilt. Future research should further verify the actual role of deontological guilt in OCD, and its therapeutical implications.

The Relationship between Negative Problem Orientation and Worry: A Meta-Analytic Review

Generalised Anxiety Disorder (GAD) can have a significant detrimental effect on the lives of sufferers. Research into the psychological process involved in worry has an important role in the prevention and treatment of problems such as GAD. Negative problem orientation (NPO) has been identified as an important psychological construct involved in worry (Gosselin, Ladouceur & Pelletier, 2005). The focus of this meta-analytic review was to further our understanding of the relationship between NPO and worry, and a related construct called intolerance of uncertainty (IU). The review identified 31 articles reporting correlations between measures of NPO and worry. These articles detailed a total of 33 independent effect sizes. Using a random-effects model and raw and attenuation-corrected values, NPO was found to be significantly correlated to worry (r = 0.57, CI = 0.55–0.60, k = 33, N = 5376). The type of NPO measure moderated the relationship between NPO and worry. In addition, NPO was found to be significantly correlated with IU (r= 0.71, CI = 0.69–0.73, k = 14, N = 3072) and more strongly correlated with IU than with worry (p<.05). The findings have implications for theory, research and practice. Issues in the measurement of NPO are discussed, and the relationship between NPO and IU is considered.

Repetitive Negative Thinking in Social Anxiety Disorder 2: Post-Event Processing

Cognitive models of social anxiety disorder (SAD) emphasize post-event processing as a prominent maintaining factor that occurs after social-evaluative events. Post-event processing involves repetitive negative thinking revolved around perceived social failure. The present review concentrates on the relevant and available empirical literature on post-event processing in social anxiety which centres on Clarke and Wells (1995) theoretical framework. Correlational and experimental studies have investigated the relationship between post-event processing and the behavioural, physiological, cognitive and affective outcomes for socially anxious individuals. The majority of study designs include those investigating post-event processing in response to social-evaluative threat, and in response to treatment. Limitations of the existing literature are discussed and suggestions for future research examining the underlying cognitive functions of post-event processing are proposed.

Thoughts on Experimental Psychopathology

Over the years, Experimental Psychopathology has become a major research discipline. In this article, we sketch some historical roots of Experimental Psychopathology and its current disciplinary context. We also outline the logic behind Experimental Psychopathology and discuss some issues raised in the articles in this special issue, including reductionism in this type of research, the use of analogue samples, and the use of self-report measures. Finally, we describe some future directions to increase our understanding of the causal mechanisms of mental disorders, including the new network modeling approach to psychopathology that fits well with Experimental Psychopathology and the way these approaches may reinforce each other. The field has witnessed the emergence and acceptance of many evidence-based treatments, but the room for clinical improvement is large. Experimental Psychopathology should be one of the disciplines to occupy that space.

Aetiological Influences on Stability and Change in Emotional and Behavioural Problems across Development: A Systematic Review

Emotional and behavioural problems in childhood and adolescence can be chronic and are predictive of future psychiatric problems. Understanding what factors drive the development and maintenance of these problems is therefore crucial. Longitudinal behavioural genetic studies using twin, sibling or adoption data can be used to explore the developmental aetiology of stability and change in childhood and adolescent psychopathology. We present a systematic review of longitudinal, behavioural genetic analyses of emotional and behavioural problems between ages 0 to 18 years. We identified 58 studies, of which 19 examined emotional problems, 30 examined behavioural problems, and 9 examined both. In the majority of studies, stability in emotional and behavioural problems was primarily genetically influenced. Stable environmental factors were also widely found, although these typically played a smaller role. Both genetic and environmental factors were involved in change across development. We discuss the findings in the context of the wider developmental literature and make recommendations for future research.