Skip to main content
Top
Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research 4/2020

18-04-2020 | Original Article

The Fear of Losing Control in Social Anxiety: An Experimental Approach

Auteurs: Kenneth Kelly-Turner, Adam S. Radomsky

Gepubliceerd in: Cognitive Therapy and Research | Uitgave 4/2020

Log in om toegang te krijgen
share
DELEN

Deel dit onderdeel of sectie (kopieer de link)

  • Optie A:
    Klik op de rechtermuisknop op de link en selecteer de optie “linkadres kopiëren”
  • Optie B:
    Deel de link per e-mail

Abstract

Background

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is often conceptualized as arising from maladaptive cognitions. One cognitive domain that has received relatively little attention, despite endorsement from people struggling with social anxiety, is the belief that they may lose control over their speech/behaviour and/or their physical symptoms of anxiety. The present study aimed to evaluate the causal role of these beliefs on social anxiety symptoms in an analogue sample.

Methods

Beliefs were manipulated using false feedback in undergraduate psychology students (N = 130) to induce either high or low levels of beliefs about losing control. Participants then engaged in a social interaction task with a confederate.

Results

The high beliefs about losing control (HLC) condition reported greater anxiety just before meeting the confederate than the low loss of control (LLC) condition. Further, HLC participants reported worse social performance and greater perceived failures of control than did those in the LLC condition during their interaction with a confederate.

Conclusion

Results suggest beliefs about losing control are producing cognitive and behavioural changes which may in part explain differences in performance in social interactions. Beliefs about losing control appear to be relevant to the cognitive model of social anxiety. Future studies should consider whether these beliefs are malleable among individuals with SAD.
Voetnoten
1
Though both sex and gender were included in demographics, all participants reported their gender as matching their sex assigned at birth.
 
Literatuur
go back to reference American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.CrossRef American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed.). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.CrossRef
go back to reference Brody, L. R., & Hall, J. A. (2008). Gender and emotion in context. In M. Lewis, J. M. Haviland-Jones, & L. F. Barrett (Eds.), Handbook of emotions (3rd ed., pp. 395–408). New York: Guilford Press. Brody, L. R., & Hall, J. A. (2008). Gender and emotion in context. In M. Lewis, J. M. Haviland-Jones, & L. F. Barrett (Eds.), Handbook of emotions (3rd ed., pp. 395–408). New York: Guilford Press.
go back to reference Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. Heimberg, M. Liebowitz, D. A. Hope, & F. R. Schneier (Eds.), Social phobia: Diagnosis, assessment and treatment (pp. 69–93). New York: Guilford Press. Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. Heimberg, M. Liebowitz, D. A. Hope, & F. R. Schneier (Eds.), Social phobia: Diagnosis, assessment and treatment (pp. 69–93). New York: Guilford Press.
go back to reference Kline, R. B. (2009). Becoming a behavioral science researcher: A guide to producing research that matters. New York: Guilford Press. Kline, R. B. (2009). Becoming a behavioral science researcher: A guide to producing research that matters. New York: Guilford Press.
go back to reference Osborne, J. W., & Overbay, A. (2004). The power of outliers (and why researchers should always check for them). Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation,9(6), 1–12. Osborne, J. W., & Overbay, A. (2004). The power of outliers (and why researchers should always check for them). Practical Assessment, Research & Evaluation,9(6), 1–12.
go back to reference Wolpe, J. (1969). The practice of behavior therapy (1st ed.). New York: Pergamon Press. Wolpe, J. (1969). The practice of behavior therapy (1st ed.). New York: Pergamon Press.
go back to reference Wolpe, J. (1988). Subjective anxiety scale. In M. Hersen & A. S. Bellack (Eds.), Dictionary of behavioral assessment techniques (pp. 455–457). New York: Pergamon. Wolpe, J. (1988). Subjective anxiety scale. In M. Hersen & A. S. Bellack (Eds.), Dictionary of behavioral assessment techniques (pp. 455–457). New York: Pergamon.
Metagegevens
Titel
The Fear of Losing Control in Social Anxiety: An Experimental Approach
Auteurs
Kenneth Kelly-Turner
Adam S. Radomsky
Publicatiedatum
18-04-2020
Uitgeverij
Springer US
Gepubliceerd in
Cognitive Therapy and Research / Uitgave 4/2020
Print ISSN: 0147-5916
Elektronisch ISSN: 1573-2819
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-020-10104-5

Andere artikelen Uitgave 4/2020

Cognitive Therapy and Research 4/2020 Naar de uitgave