Introduction
Method
Inclusion Criteria
Exclusion Criteria
Search Strategy
Study Selection
Data Extraction and Quality Assessment
Data Synthesis
Results
Description of Included Studies
Citation | Design | Participants (number and age) | Groups | Social anxiety measure | Imagery measure | Imagery induction/ manipulation | Other relevant measures | Mean quality rating (0–24) |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Hignett and Cartwright-Hatton, (2008) UK | Correlational | n = 124 Age 12–18, M = 14.4 (SD = 0.46) | Students from local schools (age 12–14 and 16–18) | SPAI-C (SR) (+); FNE (SR) (+) | PTRS (SR) (?) | Completed PTRS and anxiety Likert scale following a speech task. Asked to imagine their speech performance | Anxiety Rating Likert Scale during speech task (SR) (−) | 22 |
Moriya (2018) Japan | Correlational | n = 231 Age 18–23, M = 19.26 (SD = 0.83) | Undergraduates | BFNE (SR) (+) | VVIQ (SR) (?) VISQ (SR) (?) VVQ (SR) (?) | Asked to complete questionnaires with no imagery induction or manipulation | Effortful Control Scale (SR) (?) | 18 |
Ranta et al. (2014) Finland | Between groups | n = 133 (306 in initial screening) M = 15.9 (SD = 0.32) | (1) HSA (n = 43) NSA (n = 90) (2) SAD (n = 10)/subclinical social anxiety (n = 7) No diagnosis (n = 116) | SPIN (SR) (+); interview with the K-SADS-PL (+) | Semi-structured interview (−) | Asked to imagine past anxious event | Semi-structured interview assessing most distressing situation, automatic thoughts, safety behaviours, and coping strategies (-) | 21.5 |
Schreiber et al. (2012) Germany | Correlational (and between groups) | n = 567 14–20 years old, M = 16.49 (SD = 1.67) | HSA (n = 145) NSA (n = 143) | SPAI (SR) (+); Social Behaviour Questionnaire (SR) (?); Social Cognitions Questionnaire (SR) (?); Social Attitudes Questionnaire (SR) (?) | QRI-SP (SR) (−) | Asked to complete questionnaires with no imagery induction or manipulation | DICA (SR) (+); | 22.5 |
Schreiber and Steil (2013) Germany | Between groups | n = 62 Age 14–20 SAD: M = 16.6 years (SD = 2.21) NAC: matched | SAD (n = 31) NSA (n = 31) | SPAI-C (SR) (+) | QRI-SP (SR) (?) | Asked to hold past negative image in mind while completing questionnaires No manipulation | DICA (SR) (+) | 22 |
Stopa and Jenkins (2007) UK | Between groups | n = 20 M = 19 (SD = 1.07) | HSA (n = 20) Positive and negative imagery groups | FNE (SR) (+) | Vividness scale and ability to produce image in manipulation (SR) (−) | Asked to hold positive or negative image in mind during speech task | BDI-II (SR) (+), Likert scale for anxiety and performance (SR) (−) Behaviour checklist for speech performance (SR/CR) (−) | 18.5 |
Vassilopoulos (2005) Greece | Between groups | n = 80 Low anxious: M = 19.67 (SD = 0.92) High anxious: M = 19.70 (SD = 0.69) | HSA (n = 40) NSA (n = 40) Positive and negative imagery groups | FNE (SR) (+); SPAI (SR) (+); STAI (SR) (+) | Self-imagery questionnaire (SR) (−) | High and low socially anxious were randomly allocated to positive and negative imagery conditions | BDI-II (SR) (+); Body Sensations Questionnaire (SR) (?); state anxiety (SR) (−); behaviour checklist (SR/CR) (−) | 20.5 |
Vassilopoulos et al. (2012) Greece | Between groups | n = 164 Age 10–12, M = 10.2 (SD = 0.5) | Positive and negative imagery groups | SASC-R (SR) (+) | Self-imagery questionnaire (SR) (−) | Asked to form a positive or negative image (random allocation) | CDI (SR) (+); Social Events Interpretation Questionnaire (SR) (−) | 22 |
Vassilopoulos and Moberly (2013) Greece | Correlational (and between groups) | n = 115 Age 10–12, M = 10.2 | Benign and negative training groups | SASC-R (SR) (+) | Spontaneous Use of Imagery Scale (SR + CR) (−) | Randomly assigned to benign or negative interpretation training condition | CDI (SR) (+) | 20.5 |
Associations Between Imagery Characteristics and Social Anxiety (or SAD)
Citation | Associations between imagery characteristics and social anxiety (or SAD) | Effect of negative imagery for high social anxiety group (or SAD) |
---|---|---|
Hignett and Cartwright-Hatton (2008) | Increased observer’s perspective associated with higher social anxiety (+) (d = 0.37 to 0.61, depending on the anxiety measured used) | |
Moriya (2018) | Preference for visual mental imagery and object mental imagery associated with increased social anxiety (+) Preference for spatial mental imagery associated with decreased social anxiety ( +) Vividness of images not associated with social anxiety (−) | |
Ranta et al. (2014) | Increased frequency of negative observer’s perspective images for high socially anxious group (high vs. low socially anxious) (+) Increased frequency of negative observer’s perspective images for Social Anxiety Disorder/Sub-clinical Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD vs. no diagnosis) (+) | |
Schreiber et al. (2012) | Increased frequency of negative images for high socially anxious group (high vs. low socially anxious) (+) | |
Schreiber and Steil (2013) | Increased frequency of negative images for SAD group (SAD vs. control) (+) Increased vividness of negative images for SAD group (SAD vs. control) (+) Increased frequency of observer’s perspective images SAD group (SAD vs. control) (+) (d = 0.65) | Increased frequency of negative thoughts for SAD group (SAD vs. control) (+) (d = 0.23 to 1.68) Increased frequency of negative emotional reactions for SAD group (SAD vs. control) (+) (d = 0.17 to 1.44) Increased anxiety for SAD group (SAD vs. control) (+) (d = 1.44) |
Stopa and Jenkins (2007) | Increased vividness of negative images for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (−) (d = 0.15 to 0.37) | Increased anxiety for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (+) (d = 0.1 to 0.91) Poorer self-rated performance for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (+) (d = 0.86 to 2.12) Poorer observer-rated performance for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (+) (d = 0.27) |
Vassilopoulos (2005) | Increased vividness for high socially anxious participants (negative vs. positive imagery) (−) (d = 0.33) Increased frequency of negative images for high socially anxious group (high vs. low socially anxious) (+) (d = 0.88) | Increased anxiety for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (+) (d = 1.36) Increased bodily sensations for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (+) (d = 1.27) Increased frequency of bodily sensations for negative compared to positive imagery for high socially anxious group only (high vs. low socially anxious) (+) Poorer self-rated performance for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (+) (d = 0.69 to 1.39) Poorer self-rated performance when exposed to negative compared to positive images for high socially anxious group only (high vs. low socially anxious) (+) Increased self-rated anxious appearance and belief that they came across less well when exposed to negative compared to positive images when examining groups combined (−) Poorer observer-rated performance for high socially anxious participants in negative imagery condition (negative vs. positive imagery) (−) (d = 0.12–0.32) |
Vassilopoulos et al. (2012) | Increased negative interpretations for high socially anxious participants (negative vs. positive imagery) (+) Increased negative interpretations for high socially anxious group in negative imagery condition (high vs. low socially anxious) (+) | |
Vassilopoulos and Moberly (2013) | Negative self-imagery associated with greater social anxiety (+) |