Evaluating the role of repetitive negative thinking in the maintenance of social appearance anxiety: An experimental manipulation

Abstract

Social appearance anxiety (SAA), or fear of having one's appearance negatively evaluated by others, is a risk factor for eating pathology and social anxiety, but maintenance processes for SAA remain unclear. The current study evaluated repetitive negative thinking (RNT) as a process through which SAA is maintained over time. Undergraduates (N = 126) completed self-report measurements, made an impromptu speech task to induce SAA, and were randomized to either engage in RNT or distraction following the speech task. Participants then attended a second appointment one day later and were asked to make a second speech. Results indicated positive associations between self-reported trait SAA and RNT. Individuals asked to engage in RNT following the appointment 1 speech task reported significantly higher state SAA than those who engaged in distraction. Findings indicated no significant effect of group on appointment 2 SAA, but post-hoc analyses suggested that naturally-occurring RNT may have accounted for increases in SAA across appointments. Overall, results provide support for the importance of RNT in maintaining various internalizing symptoms.