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Perpetuating factors of social anxiety: a serial mediation model

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  13 November 2019

Nicolette D. Carnahan Open the ORCID record for Nicolette D. Carnahan [Opens in a new window] ,
Michele M. Carter  and
Nathaniel R. Herr
Nicolette D. Carnahan*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, USA
Michele M. Carter
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, USA
Nathaniel R. Herr
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, American University, Washington, DC, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

Background:

There is evidence that individuals with high levels of social anxiety utilize more safety behaviours and experience more post-event processing than those with lower levels of social anxiety. There are also data to suggest that the relationship between safety behaviour use and social anxiety symptoms is mediated by perceived control of one’s anxiety. Furthermore, it has been suggested that post-event processing influences anticipatory anxiety for a future social situation.

Aim:

A direct link between the perpetuating factors of social anxiety described above has not been established in the literature. The aim of the current study was to test a model examining the relationship between these constructs.

Method:

Participants first completed a battery of questionnaires. They then participated in an impromptu, 3-minute speech and were informed they would be videotaped. Following the speech, participants completed measures of anxiety and were instructed to return the following week. During the second session, they were informed they would deliver an additional speech and provided ratings of their anxiety in anticipation of delivering the second speech.

Results:

The results of a serial mediation support that greater levels of social anxiety lead to less perceived control over one’s anxiety, leading to increased safety behaviour use. The increase in safety behaviours led to an increase of post-event processing which resulted in greater anticipatory anxiety for a future speech task.

Conclusions:

This study provides novel evidence for the importance of perceived control in the genesis of social anxiety, which has implications for treatment.

Keywords

anticipatory anxietyperceived controlpost-event processingsafety behaviorssocial anxiety
Type
Main
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 48 , Issue 3 , May 2020 , pp. 304 - 314
Copyright
© British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2019

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