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Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research 1/2022

06-07-2021 | Original Article

Empathic Communication Among Women with High or Low Social Anxiety

Auteurs: Suzanne E. Byrne, Ronald M. Rapee

Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research | Uitgave 1/2022

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Abstract

Background

Evidence about empathy in people high in social anxiety has produced mixed outcomes. The current study aimed to compare cognitive and emotional forms of empathy among university women who were high or low in social anxiety.

Methods

Empathy was assessed using both self-report and a directly observable social interaction task. Sixty adult women with either high or low levels of social anxiety completed a self-report measure of empathy and also engaged with a female confederate online. The interpersonal exchange included disclosure of a recent stressful experience by the confederate and participants’ responses were coded for indicators of cognitive and emotional empathy. Results were analysed with depression both controlled and not controlled.

Results

When depression was statistically controlled, participants who were high in social anxiety demonstrated more robust indicators of empathy on both self-report and the interpersonal exchange for both cognitive and emotional measures of empathy. Results were very similar when depression was not statistically controlled, however the groups no longer differed significantly on the self-report measure of cognitive empathy.

Conclusions

The implications for these findings on the interpersonal functioning of socially anxious individuals are discussed.
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Metagegevens
Titel
Empathic Communication Among Women with High or Low Social Anxiety
Auteurs
Suzanne E. Byrne
Ronald M. Rapee
Publicatiedatum
06-07-2021
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Cognitive Therapy and Research / Uitgave 1/2022
Print ISSN: 0147-5916
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2819
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-021-10248-y

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