An analysis of post-event processing in social anxiety disorder

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Abstract

Research has demonstrated that self-focused thoughts and negative affect have a reciprocal relationship [Mor, N., Winquist, J. (2002). Self-focused attention and negative affect: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 638–662]. In the anxiety disorder literature, post-event processing has emerged as a specific construction of repetitive self-focused thoughts that pertain to social anxiety disorder. Post-event processing can be defined as an individual's repeated consideration and potential reconstruction of his performance following a social situation. Post-event processing can also occur when an individual anticipates a social or performance event and begins to brood about other, past social experiences. The present review examined the post-event processing literature in an attempt to organize and highlight the significant results. The methodologies employed to study post-event processing have included self-report measures, daily diaries, social or performance situations created in the laboratory, and experimental manipulations of post-event processing or anticipation of an upcoming event. Directions for future research on post-event processing are discussed.

Section snippets

Models of social anxiety disorder and post-event processing

Cognitive-behavioral models of social anxiety disorder (Clark and Wells, 1995, Rapee and Heimberg, 1997) provide useful frameworks for understanding the role of post-event processing. Most often socially anxious individuals possess assumptions about themselves and how they interact with others based on early experiences. When confronted with novel social situations, they tend to draw upon these assumptions to interpret social events in a threatening manner. These threatening interpretations

Review of studies of post-event processing

Researchers have employed a variety of methods to study post-event processing among individuals with social anxiety disorder as well as non-clinical populations. This review outlines and draws conclusions from studies utilizing self-report measures, diary records, social situations generated in the laboratory, and experimental manipulations. Table 1 summarizes the design and findings of each of these studies.

Future directions for post-event processing research

To date, researchers have focused on studying post-event processing from either a retrospective point of view on self-report measures or over the course of one to three weeks between laboratory sessions. Thus, studies in the current literature assess post-event processing at only one or two points. However, post-event processing is an ongoing process. It is likely that, as time passes, different thoughts unfold along the way. The cognitive-behavioral models postulate that, over time, post-event

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