Social anxiety and cognitive biases in non-referred children: The interaction of self-focused attention and threat interpretation biases

Abstract

Cognitive-behavioral models of social phobia emphasize the combined effects of cognitive biases in the maintenance of the condition, and recent findings in adults implicate self-focused attention as one such bias. However, research examining self-focus in youth is limited. This investigation examined the causal role of self-focused attention on threat interpretation biases in a community sample of 175 socially anxious children. Self-focused attention was experimentally induced via a mirror manipulation procedure and self-focused attention was assessed before and after mirror exposure. Social interpretation biases were examined via an ambiguous stories task with half of the children completing the task in front of a mirror and the other half without a mirror. Social anxiety predicted self-focus and threat interpretation bias. The mirror manipulation did not have an effect on focus of attention or on threat interpretation bias, nor did it interact with social anxiety. Implications and future research directions are discussed.