Excessive Social Anxiety Research Articles

Associations between Schizotypal Facets and Symptoms of Disordered Eating in Women.

Research has suggested that schizotypy—a personality organisation representing latent vulnerability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders—may be elevated in women with symptoms of disordered eating. However, studies have not fully considered associations between symptoms of disordered eating and multidimensional schizotypy. To overcome this limitation, we asked an online sample of 235 women from the United States to complete measures of symptoms of disordered eating (drive for thinness, body dissatisfaction, and bulimic symptoms) and multidimensional schizotypy. Correlational analyses indicated significant associations between drive for thinness and bulimic symptoms, respectively, and most schizotypal facets. Body dissatisfaction was significantly associated with only two schizotypal facets. Overall, the strength of correlations was weak-to-moderate. Regression results indicated that only the schizotypal feature of excessive social anxiety was significantly associated with all risk for disordered eating factors. These results are consistent with aetiological models of disordered eating that highlight socio-affective difficulties as risk factors for symptoms of disordered eating.

A network analysis on the relationship between loneliness and schizotypy

BackgroundSchizotypy is a multidimensional personality trait related to the heightened risk for the development of schizophrenia spectrum disorders. While it has been suggested that loneliness may be associated with schizotypy in general, whether it relates to the specific schizotypal traits differentially remains unknown. Besides, as loneliness often co-occurs with depression and anxiety, it is important to delineate its relationship with schizotypy in consideration of these co-occurring emotional disturbances. MethodsA demographically diverse sample of young people was obtained from multiple sources. The validated sample consisted of 2089 participants (68.4% female, age range: 18–30). The structural relationship between loneliness and schizotypy was modelled using a network analytic approach. The Gaussian graphical model with loneliness and nine schizotypal traits as nodes was first estimated without, and then with adjustment for the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms. Edges were estimated as unique associations between nodes. Results‘Suspiciousness’, ‘odd beliefs or magical thinking’, ‘no close friends’, ‘constricted affect’ and ‘excessive social anxiety’ were linked to loneliness directly. Loneliness was found to be more strongly associated with ‘suspiciousness’ and ‘no close friends’ than other schizotypal traits. After adjustment for the levels of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the above direct edges remained robust. LimitationsThe use of cross-sectional data indicated only undirected associations between variables. ConclusionsLoneliness was more strongly linked to some schizotypal traits than others, with the relationships maintaining above and beyond the effects of anxiety and depression. These findings warrant further investigation of the specific relationships between loneliness and individual schizotypal traits.

The momentary benefits of positive events for individuals with elevated social anxiety.

Understanding how individuals with varying levels of social anxiety respond to daily positive events is important. Psychological processes that increase positive emotions are being widely used as strategies to not only enhance well-being but also reduce the symptoms and impairment tied to negative emotional dispositions and conditions, including excessive social anxiety. At present, it is unclear whether and how levels of social anxiety impact the psychological benefits derived from momentary positive events. We used ecological momentary assessment to examine the impact of trait social anxiety on momentary changes in emotions, sense of belonging, and social approach versus avoidance motivation following positive events in daily life. Over the course of a week, people with elevated social anxiety experienced greater momentary anxiety and social avoidance motivation and lower momentary happiness and sense of belonging on average. Despite these impairments, individuals with elevated social anxiety experienced greater psychological benefits-in the form of reduced anxiety and motivation to avoid social situations, and an increased sense of belonging-following positive events during the past hour that were rated as particularly intense. This pattern of findings was not specific to social anxiety, with evidence of similar effects for other forms of internalizing psychopathology (general anxiety and depression). These observations detail circumstances in which individuals with social anxiety, and other emotional disturbances, can thrive-creating potentially important targets for intervention. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).

Facing Loneliness and Anxiety During the COVID-19 Isolation: The Role of Excessive Social Media Use in a Sample of Italian Adults.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) prompted people to face a distressing and unexpected situation. Uncertainty and social distancing changed people's behaviors, impacting on their feelings, daily habits, and social relationships, which are core elements in human well-being. In particular, restrictions due to the quarantine increased feelings of loneliness and anxiety. Within this context, the use of digital technologies has been recommended to relieve stress and anxiety and to decrease loneliness, even though the overall effects of social media consumption during pandemics still need to be carefully addressed. In this regard, social media use evidence risk and opportunities. In fact, according to a compensatory model of Internet-related activities, the online environment may be used to alleviate negative feelings caused by distressing life circumstances, despite potentially leading to negative outcomes. The present study examined whether individuals who were experiencing high levels of loneliness during the forced isolation for COVID-19 pandemic were more prone to feel anxious, and whether their sense of loneliness prompted excessive social media use. Moreover, the potentially mediating effect of excessive social media use in the relationship between perceived loneliness and anxiety was tested. A sample of 715 adults (71.5% women) aged between 18 and 72 years old took part in an online survey during the period of lockdown in Italy. The survey included self-report measures to assess perceived sense of loneliness, excessive use of social media, and anxiety. Participants reported that they spent more hours/day on social media during the pandemic than before the pandemic. We found evidence that perceived feelings of loneliness predicted both excessive social media use and anxiety, with excessive social media use also increasing anxiety levels. These findings suggest that isolation probably reinforced the individuals' sense of loneliness, strengthening the need to be part of virtual communities. However, the facilitated and prolonged access to social media during the COVID-19 pandemic risked to further increase anxiety, generating a vicious cycle that in some cases may require clinical attention.

Magical thinking as a bio-psychological developmental disposition for cognitive and affective symptoms intensity in schizotypy: Traits and genetic associations

Schizotypy refers to a set of heritable, continuously distributed personality traits that resemble signs and symptoms of schizophrenia in the general population. It has been argued that studying the genetic background of schizotypy may yield valuable information about the etiology of schizophrenia. This study examined the association between selected genetic factors and schizotypal traits in 346 healthy college students. Self-reported schizotypal traits were measured using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire - Brief Revised. After scrutinizing available genome-wide association studies, we chose a set of single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and focused on 8 genes associated with symptoms of schizophrenia-spectrum disorders. The analysis revealed that the AA variant of the SNP rs6913660 on the HIST1H2BJ gene was associated with higher intensity of magical thinking, a component of positive schizotypy. Furthermore, the CT variant of the SNP rs778293 on the D-amino acid oxidase activator (DAOA) gene and the CT variant of the SNP rs61867293 on the sortilin-related receptor SORCS3 gene were both related to excessive social anxiety, an aspect of interpersonal/negative schizotypy. By documenting the genetic associations of magical thinking and social anxiety we aim to provide a deeper insight into the translational mechanisms underpinning the emergence of schizotypal traits and individual differences in social functioning and belief formation.

Psychometric Properties of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) in a Mexican Population: Invariance Across Gender and Age.

The present study tested the factorial structure of the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (SPQ) in Mexican adults. Although this instrument has been validated in different cultural contexts, there are no studies to date that analyze its psychometric properties in a Mexican sample. 307 adults completed the SPQ, seven participants were removed for being at high risk of psychosis. The final sample was made up of 300 participants (M = 34.58, SD = 13.77), of whom 62.8% were female. Raine's three-factor model and Stefanis et al.'s four-factor model were tested. The results indicated that both factor structures had a good fit to the data. However, the best evidence was for the three-factor solution. Configural, metric, and scalar invariance according to gender and age for the three-factor model was displayed. Further analyses showed women scored slightly higher in excessive social anxiety but this result was not statistically significant. Younger participants had higher scores on ideas of reference, excessive social anxiety, no close friends, and odd speech than the older group. These findings provide support for the use of the SPQ in the Mexican population.

Severe childhood trauma and clinical and neurocognitive features in schizotypal personality disorder.

Literature suggests that childhood trauma increases vulnerability for schizophrenia-spectrum disorders, including schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). Yet, it remains unexplored whether childhood trauma predicts symptom load and the level of neurocognitive functioning in SPD. We included 225 individuals with SPD and 127 healthy controls. Childhood trauma was evaluated using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire, and schizotypal traits were assessed using the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire. Standard neurocognitive assessments covered six cognitive domains. All types of reported childhood trauma were significantly associated with SPD, in a linear fashion. Severe sexual abuse showed the greatest magnitude of association with higher cognitive-perceptual load (e.g., ideas of reference, odd belief or magical thinking); severe emotional neglect was associated with interpersonal scores (e.g., excessive social anxiety, constricted affect) within the SPD group. SPD individuals who reported severe trauma showed worse cognitive functioning (i.e., working memory, verbal/visual learning and memory, as well as verbal fluency). Particular severe childhood trauma types were associated with higher cognitive-perceptual and interpersonal symptoms in SPD, along with worse cognitive functioning. These findings highlight the need for clinicians to enquire about childhood trauma in SPD patients, since unaddressed early adverse experiences may carry long-term negative consequences.

Schizotypy and mindfulness: Magical thinking without suspiciousness characterizes mindfulness meditators

Despite growing evidence for demonstrated efficacy of mindfulness in various disorders, there is a continuous concern about the relationship between mindfulness practice and psychosis. As schizotypy is part of the psychosis spectrum, we examined the relationship between long-term mindfulness practice and schizotypy in two independent studies. Study 1 included 24 experienced mindfulness practitioners (19 males) from the Buddhist tradition (meditators) and 24 meditation-naïve individuals (all males). Study 2 consisted of 28 meditators and 28 meditation-naïve individuals (all males). All participants completed the Schizotypal Personality Questionnaire (Raine, 1991), a self-report scale containing 9 subscales (ideas of reference, excessive social anxiety, magical thinking, unusual perceptual experiences, odd/eccentric behavior, no close friends, odd speech, constricted affect, suspiciousness). Participants of study 2 also completed the Five-Facet Mindfulness Questionnaire which assesses observing (Observe), describing (Describe), acting with awareness (Awareness), non-judging of (Non-judgment) and non-reactivity to inner experience (Non-reactivity) facets of trait mindfulness. In both studies, meditators scored significantly lower on suspiciousness and higher on magical thinking compared to meditation-naïve individuals and showed a trend towards lower scores on excessive social anxiety. Excessive social anxiety correlated negatively with Awareness and Non-judgment; and suspiciousness with Awareness, Non-judgment and Non-reactivity facets across both groups. The two groups did not differ in their total schizotypy score. We conclude that mindfulness practice is not associated with an overall increase in schizotypal traits. Instead, the pattern suggests that mindfulness meditation, particularly with an emphasis on the Awareness, Non-judgment and Non-reactivity aspects, may help to reduce suspiciousness and excessive social anxiety.

Phenotypic Expression of Schizotypal Traits in an Adolescent Population

The main goal of the present study was to examine the influence of gender and age in the phenotypic expression of schizotypal traits in a community sample of adolescents. The sample was composed of a total of 1,618 participants, 776 (48%) males, with a mean age of 15.9 years (SD = 1.2). The ESQUIZO-Q: Oviedo Schizotypy Assessment Questionnaire was used for the assessment of schizotypal traits, a measure specifically developed for its use in adolescents. The results showed that gender and age were two sociodemographical variables that influenced the expression of schizotypal features. The males in the study obtained higher mean scores than the females in the Negative dimension (Physical and Social Anhedonia); however, the females obtained higher mean scores in Magical Thinking, Lack of Close Friends, and Social Disorganization. With regard to age, the younger adolescents had lower scores in Odd Thinking and Language, Lack of Close Friends, Excessive Social Anxiety, and Social Disorganization compared to the older adolescents. This differential pattern is similar to the one found in patients with schizophrenia and in nonclinical young adults, and these findings improve our understanding about the phenotypic expression of schizotypy during adolescence.

Some suggestions for the DSM-5 schizotypal personality disorder construct

This study relates to the schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) proposal of the upcoming fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) by investigating the construct validity of SPD as defined by DSM-IV in a large sample of patients from the Norwegian Network of Personality-Focused Treatment Programs (N = 2619), assessed by structured diagnostic interviews and the Longitudinal, Expert All Data standard. We investigated factor structure and psychometric properties of the SPD criteria, as well as co-occurrence patterns between SPD and other PDs. Thirty-six patients were diagnosed with SPD and 513 patients (21%) endorsed at least 2 schizotypal criteria. We found that 2 factors were specific for SPD, a cognitive-perceptual factor (ideas of reference, magical thinking, and unusual perceptual experiences) and an oddness factor (odd thinking and speech, constricted affect, and odd appearance or behavior). The criteria belonging to these factors had appropriate psychometric properties. The criteria of the cognitive-perceptual factor were more strongly associated with borderline personality disorder (PD) than with the other PDs. We did not find support for a consistent factor that reflected interpersonal problems. The criteria that used to be part of this factor (suspiciousness, lack of friends or confidants, and excessive social anxiety) performed poorly as specific SPD criteria. SPD was more strongly associated with antisocial PD and paranoid PD than with the other PDs. We suggest that ideas of reference should be included explicitly under the schizotypal facet of cognitive dysregulation in DSM-5, with less emphasis on the social phobic aspects of this feature. Furthermore, there should be more emphasis on the cognitive aspects of suspiciousness in SPD, and it should be considered to split up the affectivity criterion into constricted affect and inappropriate affect, with the latter type of affect being the expression of problems with intersubjective regulation. Finally, it is suggested that interpersonal dysfunction is secondary to the 2 primary SPD factors. Therefore, the SPD narrative should start by describing eccentricity and cognitive-perceptual aberrations rather than interpersonal difficulties.

Validation de la version française du questionnaire de personnalité schizotypique de Raine dans la population adolescente : étude de la structure factorielle

This article aims to validate the schizotypal personality questionnaire in a sample of French speaking adolescents. Because early schizotypal manifestations are predictive of psychosis-proneness, reliable self-report measures are crucial for early detection of vulnerability to schizophrenia during adolescence. Unlike most existing self-reports, the questionnaire de personnalité schizotypique (SPQ) assesses individual differences in all nine feature of DSM-IV schizotypal personality (i.e. ideas of reference, excessive social anxiety, odd beliefs, unusual perceptual experience, odd behaviour, no close friends, odd speech, constricted affect and suspiciousness). Furthermore, it yields dimensional scores concerning the main schizotypal factors, which represent valuable information for the clinician's case formulation and can be used as a screening instrument in the general population. Our sample consisted of 174 adolescents (98 girls) between 12 and 17 years old. All completed the SPQ 74-item self-report. Participants were recruited in secondary schools in Switzerland, and through the child and adolescent community outpatient psychiatric service (office médico-pédagogique) affiliated to the University of Geneva's Psychiatry Department and to the Canton of Geneva Education Department. A confirmatory factorial analysis was conducted on our sample to test nine competing models of SPQ. The 3-factor model of Raine et al. was compared to concurrent 2, 3, and 4-factor models. Simple structure models of Raine et al. and Stefanis et al. were also tested. The following observations were highlighted in our results: (1) goodness-of-fit indices are better for structures allowing cross loadings than for simple structures; (2) amongst the simple structures, the best goodness-of-fit index was obtained for the Raine model and (3) the fit between our data and the Raine model is improved by a cross loading for suspiciousness subscale. The latter seems problematic for the global data fitting. This led us to test simple structures models of Siever and Gunderson, Raine et al., and Stefanis et al., based on eight subscales rather than nine. Without suspiciousness subscale, goodness-of-fit indices are enhanced in these three models. The 3-factor model yields the clearest and most reliable results in comparison with other competing models. In summary, the best goodness-of-fit indices were obtained for the 3-factor Raine model. Goodness-of-fit indices could be improved by the exclusion of the suspiciousness scale. Consistent with earlier analyses by Raine et al. and Dumas et al., our data confirm the 3-factor model of the SPQ (cognitive-perceptive; interpersonal; disorganized) in a sample of French speaking adolescents. Our analyses confirm that two dimensions are insufficient to explain the structure of schizotypy during adolescence. These results further suggest the stability of a 3-factor structure during lifespan. We note that the inclusion of the suspiciousness subscales engenders statistical issues. Most studies to date have dealt with these issues by performing a cross-loading with this subscale, or by the inclusion of a paranoid factor which is linked with the negative and the cognitive-perceptive factors. We found that the most statistically sound strategy was reached without the inclusion of the suspiciousness subscale. Future studies with larger samples could investigate the SPQ structure at an item-level, which carries the benefit of reduced restrictions on the factorial analysis. In conclusion, the current study shows that the French version SPQ constitutes a reliable self-report questionnaire for the assessment of schizotypal trait expression during adolescence that may assist in the evaluation of psychosis proneness in youths.

Implementing the Illness Management and Recovery Program in Japan

Implementing the Illness Management and Recovery Program in Japan

The differential effects of child abuse and posttraumatic stress disorder on schizotypal personality disorder

Objective Previous findings suggest a relation between trauma exposure and risk for schizotypal personality disorder (SPD). However, the reasons for this relationship are not well understood. Some research suggests that exposure to trauma, particularly early trauma and child abuse, as well as posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) may play a role. Methods We examined subjects (n = 541) recruited from the primary care clinics of an urban public hospital as part of an National Institute of Mental Health-funded study of trauma-related risk and resilience. We evaluated childhood abuse with the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Early Trauma Inventory and SPD with the Schedule for Nonadaptive and Adaptive Personality. We assessed for lifetime PTSD using the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale. Results We found that of the 3 forms of abuse analyzed (emotional, physical, and sexual), only emotional abuse significantly predicted SPD ( P < .001, R = 0.28) when all 3 abuse types were simultaneously entered into a regression model. Lifetime PTSD symptoms also significantly predicted SPD ( P < .001, R = 0.26). Posttraumatic stress disorder was specifically predictive of 4 of the 8 SPD symptoms ( P ≤ .001): excessive social anxiety, a lack of close friends or confidants, unusual perceptual experiences, and eccentric behavior or appearance. Using a Sobel test, we also found a partial mediation effect of PTSD on the relation between emotional abuse and SPD ( z = 3.45, P < .001). Conclusions These findings point to the important influence of emotional abuse on SPD and suggest that PTSD symptoms may provide a link between damaging childhood experiences and SPD symptoms in traumatized adults.

Personnalité schizotypique en milieu universitaire à Marrakech (Maroc)

Schizotypal personality, otherwise known as "latent schizophrenia" is a personality disorder accepted in the spectrum of schizophrenia. Its prevalence is 3% of the general population. The schizotypal personality questionnaire (SPQ) developed by Raine is one of the most-widely used auto-evaluation instruments for the study of this personality disorder, it allows the rapid diagnosis of schizotypal personality, using 74 items divided into nine lower scales, evaluating the total DSM IV-R criteria of this disorder. To explore the schizotypal personality among students in two Moroccan establishments, the medical school in Marrakech and the College of Technology in Safi (EST), through the Raine's SPQ, and to describe the sociodemographic profile of students with schizotypal traits. This is a retrospective study concerning a sample of the first round students in two university sites in Morocco (the medical school in Marrakech and the College of Technology in Safi). The investigation began on October 2004 and was spread over a period of 6 months. The questionnaire was anonymous, divided into two parts; the first part concerning sociodemographic characteristics and the second exploring the SPQ, developed by Raine, assessing nine schizotypal traits specified as such in the DSM IV-R. The average score was 25.33 ± 11.77; with the upper and lower threshold values 44/74 and 10/74 respectively. Males were predominant among schizotypal students (7.24% versus 3.62% among females). Moreover, most of the schizotypal students (16.7%) were living with their parents, 1.4% living alone and only 0.7% with their friends. In the schizotypal students, 11.6% were pursuing their studies in the College of Technology in Safi, and 6.8% in the medical school of Marrakech. The average score for the SPQ was 25.33 ± 11.77 (minimal score 2/74 and maximal score 52/74). Excessive social anxiety total score was 518, the distrust total score was 496, and the lack of close friends total score was 449. Concerning scores for the sub scales: poverty affects, bizarre speech, reference ideas, perceptual experiences, unusual and bizarre beliefs, were respectively 434 (mean 2.94), 430 (mean 2.91); 422 (mean 2.88), 410 (mean 2.66), 337 (mean 2.30). Bizarre and eccentric behavior's total score was 309 (mean 1.97). Finally, our study could not find a relationship between the schizotypal disorder and the consumption of illicit drugs. Schizotypal personality disorder is considered as a trouble-generator spectrum of schizophrenia; patients with this disorder are at high risk of developing schizophrenia, particularly when not detected earlier. The average SPQ questionnaire score in our sample was 25.33+11.77. Very similar scores are found in other studies concerning student populations. According to the method of Raine threshold, scores have been defined by the values corresponding to 10-degree and 90-degree percentile distribution of collected scores. In our study, these lower and upper threshold scores were 10/74 and 44/74 which appear similar to those calculated by Raine (12/74 and 41/74), Dumas et al. (9/74 and 40/74), Dumas et al. (7/74 and 40/74), and in the study of Gaha et al. who found upper and lower threshold score of respectively 9/74 and 42/74. Several epidemiological studies conducted since the early 1990s indicate that the lifetime prevalence of drug consumption (abuse or dependence) is nearly 50% in schizotypal personality before the outbreak of schizophrenic symptoms, schizotypal personalities tend to consume these substances to relieve their anhedonia, to socialize and to allay their anxiety, which explains the co-occurrence of schizophrenia and drug consumption.

Attentional bias away from positive social information mediates the link between social anxiety and anxiety vulnerability to a social stressor

Accumulating evidence suggests that social anxiety is associated with biased processing of positive social information. However, it remains to be determined whether those biases are simply correlates of, or play a role in maintaining social anxiety. The current study examined whether diminished attentional allocation for positive social cues mediates the link between social anxiety and anxiety reactivity to a social-evaluative task. Forty-three undergraduate students ranging in severity of social anxiety symptoms completed a baseline measure of attentional bias for positive social cues (i.e., modified probe detection task) and subsequently delivered an impromptu videotaped speech. Mediation analyses revealed that the tendency to allocate attention away from positive social stimuli mediated the effect of social anxiety on change in state anxiety in response to the stressor. The current findings add to a nascent empirical literature suggesting that aberrant processing of positive social information may contribute to the persistence of excessive social anxiety.

Social Anxiety and Positive Emotions: A Prospective Examination of a Self-Regulatory Model With Tendencies to Suppress or Express Emotions as a Moderating Variable

The purpose of the present study was to examine social anxiety as a predictor of positive emotions using a short-term prospective design. We examined whether the effects of social anxiety on positive emotions are moderated by tendencies to openly express or supress emotions. Over the course of a 3-month interval, people with excessive social anxiety endorsed stable, low levels of positive emotions. In addition, people with low social anxiety who frequently display their emotions openly, whether negative or positive, reported the greatest increases in positive emotions. Similar results were found when using a measure of emotion suppression (low social anxiety and less tendency to rely on these types of regulatory acts led to the greatest positive emotions). These social anxiety main and interactive effects could not be attributed to depressive symptoms. Our findings suggest that relations between social anxiety and positive emotional experiences over time are best understood in the context of meaningful individual differences such as affect regulatory strategies.

The Rabies Prevention and the Risk Management in Japan

Japan has been rabies-free since 1957, except an imported human rabies case in 1970. However, two imported rabies cases of human bitten by dog in the Philippines were reported in November, 2006. Increased travel to exotic destinations around the world is increasing the risk of infectious diseases. Lack of awareness of its serious infectiousness is due to its rarity, leaving people at risk and emphasizing the need for measures in risk management. This age of global due to internationalization of distribution forms has also been increased the potential risk of the imported rabies of not only human but also animals by the highly diverse routes of introduction. Any inappropriate public health response or delay at an early stage of rabies cases, even those in doubt, leads to unnecessary, excessive social anxiety. It is thus important to put effective measures in place while continuously upgrading existing measures.

Social anxiety and posttraumatic stress in combat veterans: Relations to well-being and character strengths

There are few studies examining the relationship between psychopathology and positive experiences and traits. Although initial studies suggest persons with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are at increased risk for excessive social anxiety, there have been no studies to date evaluating how these conditions might interact to affect positive experiences and traits. Using self-report scales, informant ratings, and experience-sampling methodologies, we examined the association of social anxiety with well-being and character strengths in veterans with and without PTSD. Controlling for PTSD and trait negative affect, social anxiety was negatively related to global ratings of well-being and character strengths. Social anxiety also accounted for incremental variance in day-to-day well-being (i.e., daily affect balance, percentage of pleasant days, positive social activity, self-esteem, gratitude) over a 14-day assessment period. Although veterans with PTSD reported lower levels of global and daily well-being and character strengths than veterans without PTSD, a diagnosis of PTSD failed to exhibit unique relationships with these constructs. Building on a growing body of work, these data suggest that social anxiety is uniquely associated with disturbances in positive experiences, events, and traits. Our findings support the value of directly addressing social anxiety in the study and treatment of PTSD.

Longitudinal Course of Schizophrenia Spectrum Symptoms in Offspring of Psychiatrically Hospitalized Mothers

The aim of this study was to describe schizophrenia spectrum symptoms (SZSD) in children and adolescents with schizotypal personality disorder (SPD) as adults. There are no descriptive studies of children who develop into adults with SPD. Twelve offspring of psychiatrically hospitalized mothers (6 mothers with schizophrenia), were compared with 11 socioeconomic status (SES)-matched offspring of control, non-ill mothers. Offspring were evaluated clinically and psychometrically between infancy and 2, 10, 15 years of age, and adulthood. Adult Axis I and II diagnoses were made blind to infant and parent status. Six hospitalized mothers were diagnosed with schizophrenia, 6 with other severe psychopathology. Offspring with SZSD more likely had schizophrenic mothers, and childhood deteriorating IQs, symptoms of social isolation, constricted affect, digressive speech, suspiciousness, and excessive social anxiety. Global assessment scores in SZSD offspring were lower in childhood and adulthood than comparison offspring. Children with SZSD met currently accepted criteria for schizotypy; 3 by 10 years of age, and 2 by 19 years of age. Differential diagnosis is discussed. An appendix of case histories is presented.

The neglected relationship between social interaction anxiety and hedonic deficits: differentiation from depressive symptoms

Depressive symptoms are associated with both the presence of negative subjective experiences and relative absence of positive subjective experiences. A similar affective profile of high negative affect and low positive affect (PA) has been associated with excessive social anxiety (SA). This initial cross-sectional study evaluated the incremental effects of social interaction anxiety on hedonic deficits beyond the effects of depressive and anxiety (i.e., physiological arousal, worry) symptoms. From a sample of 97 college students, a factor analysis on self-report measures of hedonic functioning derived two domains: Positive Subjective Experiences and Curiosity. Social interaction anxiety was uniquely, negatively related to Positive Subjective Experiences and Curiosity after removing variance attributable to various depressive and anxiety symptoms. In contrast, anxious arousal and nonspecific anxiety had near-zero relationships with both domains, and depressive symptoms were negatively related to Positive Subjective Experiences. These data provide some evidence for an association between social interaction anxiety and hedonic deficits that is not attributable to covariance with other internalizing conditions.