NCJ Number
242662
Journal
Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry Volume: 44 Issue: 2 Dated: June 2013 Pages: 158-164
Date Published
June 2013
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This study examined the nature of distorted negative self-images (NSI) in adolescent patients with social anxiety disorder (SAD), which is a persistent fear of eliciting negative reactions from others in social interactions.
Abstract
The study found that relative to healthy adolescents (HA), the adolescents with SAD reported experiencing NSI significantly more often, more vividly, and with greater distress. No significant differences were found between the HA and SAD groups regarding a link between the NSI and an autobiographical event; however, NSI was reported as having an observer perspective in the SAD compared to the HA group. Hierarchical regression analysis found that certain characteristics of the NSI predict social anxiety beyond the influence of depression in adolescents with SAD. Since the findings that NSI are an important factor in adolescent SAD, development adapted interventions that target the modification of NSI should be developed. These imagery modification interventions could be derived according to those that Wild and Clark (2011) recently proposed for adult SAD. Indirect techniques that focus on the properties of the NSI, such as attention training, might also be suitable for the treatment in adolescents with SAD. Other treatment methods are also suggested. Future studies should examine whether and how the assessment and modification of NSE can enhance the treatment of adolescent SAD. The study used semi-structured interviews with 31 adolescents with a primary diagnosis of SAD and 31 healthy adolescents who were matched for age and gender. Participants completed a questionnaire that assessed the characteristics of NSI, social anxiety, and depression. 4 tables and 49 references