Social Anxiety Research Articles

Neural activation changes following attention bias modification treatment or a selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor for social anxiety disorder.

Delineation of changes in neural function associated with novel and established treatments for social anxiety disorder (SAD) can advance treatment development. We examined such changes following selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) and attention bias modification (ABM) variant - gaze-contingent music reward therapy (GC-MRT), a first-line and an emerging treatments for SAD. Eighty-one patients with SAD were allocated to 12-week treatments of either SSRI or GC-MRT, or waitlist (ns = 22, 29, and 30, respectively). Baseline and post-treatment functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data were collected during a social-threat processing task, in which attention was directed toward and away from threat/neutral faces. Patients who received GC-MRT or SSRI showed greater clinical improvement relative to patients in waitlist. Compared to waitlist patients, treated patients showed greater activation increase in the right inferior frontal gyrus and anterior cingulate cortex when instructed to attend toward social threats and away from neutral stimuli. An additional anterior cingulate cortex cluster differentiated between the two active groups. Activation in this region increased in ABM and decreased in SSRI. In the ABM group, symptom change was positively correlated with neural activation change in the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. Brain function measures show both shared and treatment-specific changes following ABM and SSRI treatments for SAD, highlighting the multiple pathways through which the two treatments might work. Treatment-specific neural responses suggest that patients with SAD who do not fully benefit from SSRI or ABM may potentially benefit from the alternative treatment, or from a combination of the two. ClinicalTrials.gov, Identifier: NCT03346239. https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03346239.

The Role of Competitive vs. Recreational Group Sports in Reducing Social Anxiety among Chinese Teenagers

This paper explores the impact of competitive and recreational group sports on reducing social anxiety among Chinese adolescents. Through a comparative analysis, the study highlights the distinct benefits offered by each type of sport. Competitive sports, with their structured and goal-oriented nature, are shown to build confidence and resilience, which can help reduce social anxiety in some participants. However, the pressure associated with competition may exacerbate anxiety in others. In contrast, recreational sports provide a low-pressure, inclusive environment that encourages social interaction and gradual anxiety reduction, making them particularly effective for those more sensitive to social stress. The findings suggest that a hybrid approach, integrating elements of both competitive and recreational sports, could offer a balanced solution, catering to the diverse needs of adolescents. Implications for sports program development include the importance of tailoring programs to individual needs, creating supportive environments, and conducting long-term evaluations to maximize the benefits for participants’ social and emotional well-being.

The impact of social interaction anxiety on endemic blue among university students who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic: The mediating effect of social phobia

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the mediating effect of social phobia between social interaction anxiety and endemic blue among university students who experienced the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.Methods: This study employed a descriptive correlational design. The participants were 196 university students from 10 universities located in four major regions across the Republic of Korea. Data were collected from July 12 to 31, 2022, through an online self-reported questionnaire and were then analyzed using an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA with Scheffé test, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and multiple regression. The mediating effect was analyzed using PROCESS macro model 4 with a bootstrapping method using IBM SPSS 27.0.Results: There were significant positive correlations among social interaction anxiety, social phobia, and endemic blue. Social interaction anxiety had significant effects on social phobia (β=0.77, <i>p</i><.001) and social interaction anxiety (β=0.33, <i>p</i><.001) and social phobia had a significant effect on endemic blue (β=0.29, <i>p</i>=.001). Concerning the influence of social interaction anxiety on endemic blue, a significant indirect mediating effect of social phobia was confirmed, and the size of the indirect effect was 0.14 (0.04~0.24).Conclusion: In order to manage the social and psychological health of university students who experienced the COVID-19 pandemic period, it is necessary to develop strategies to overcome endemic blue that reduce social interaction anxiety and take into account the mediating effect of social phobia.

Investigating Correlation between Exercise Participation Motivation and Social Physique Anxiety and Their Differences across Exercise Stages of Change.

This study aims to investigate the correlation between exercise participation motivation and social physique anxiety and their differences across the exercise stages of change in individuals. A convenience sampling technique was used to gather data from 374 sedentary individuals aged 18 and over, using a questionnaire that included the Behavioral Regulations in Exercise Questionnaire-2 (BREQ-2), Social Physique Anxiety (SPA) scale, and Exercise Stages of Change Questionnaire (ESOCQ). Welch's ANOVA test was utilized to examine if there were significant differences between the average levels of behavioral regulations in exercise and SPA within exercise stages of change, respectively. Based on Welch's ANOVA results, it has been found that there are significant differences in the total score of SPAS according to exercise stages of change (F = 15.801, p < 0.001). Furthermore, the sub-factors intrinsic regulation, introjected regulation, and external motivation statistically significantly differ according to exercise stages of change (F=6.681, p < 0.001 for IR; F=30.186,p < 0.001 for introjected regulation; F=10.104, p < 0.001 for external motivation, F=0.481,p = 0.750 for AM). Pearson's r correlation coefficients were also computed to determine the relationship between behavioral regulations in exercise and SPA. A significant negative moderate correlation was found between intrinsic regulation and SPA (r = -0.645, p < 0.001). Furthermore, a significant medium positive correlation was found between introjected regulation and SPA (r = 0.534, p < 0.001), external motivation and SPA (r = 0.588, p < 0.001), and amotivation and SPA (r = 0.564, p < 0.001). The findings suggest that being self-motivated for exercise might decrease SPA. On the other hand, exercise motivated by external pressures could lead to increased SPA. The findings also suggest that those who started exercising with intrinsic motivation reached more advanced stages of exercise than those who started exercising with extrinsic factors. Finally, extrinsic motives may help in the first stages of the exercise, but intrinsic motives are required to continue the exercise. Consequently, these findings may guide physical activity specialists, trainers, etc., to develop more effective strategies to motivate exercise participation by considering social physique anxiety among individuals.

Time Perspective and Perceived Social Isolation: The Role of Social Interaction Anxiety.

Time perspective is a theoretical construct that describes how humans perceive time, which can influence decision-making and subsequent behavior. Research has shown that an individual's dominant time perspective can be linked to increased risk of poor health. This study aimed to investigate the relationships between time perspective and perceived social isolation. Specifically, we examined the role of social interaction anxiety in the relationship between time perspective and perceived social isolation in a normative sample of college-aged individuals. Undergraduates (n = 1780) at a large midwestern university completed an online survey. Results revealed that future-oriented, past-positive, and present-hedonistic time perspectives were significantly negatively associated with perceived social isolation. In contrast, past-negative was positively associated with perceived social isolation, and these relationships were partially explained by social interaction anxiety. Understanding dominant time perspectives can help us to better assess health risk factors and may help to develop interventions to promote healthy behaviors.

CONCEPT OF SOCIAL ANXIETY DISORDER IN AYURVEDA: A REVIEW

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a minor mental illness characterized by substantial degree of fear in one or more social situations. The condition becomes clinically relevant when the fear is persistent for a period of six months or more. A few outcomes of Social Anxiety Disorder are depression and substance abuse. It can be seen more in teenagers than in young adults. In common populaces, women are having more rates of Social Anxiety Disorder than in men. The contemporary management of Social Anxiety Disorder are with the usage of anxiolytic drugs and their practice is limited owing to the risk of drug abuse and dependency. As per Ayurveda, Social Anxiety Disorder can be considered under the Shareerika - Manasika Vikara (psychosomatic disorder). This involves Udvega avastha of Manas (hesitant state of mind) along with the predominance of Vata and Pitta dosa. As the references are scattered, the paper is an attempt to understand the concept of Social Anxiety Disorder. This article is an endeavor to bring light to understanding the concept and find out suitable solutions for Social Anxiety Disorder through an Ayurvedic perspective.

Investigating the Relationship Between Sleep Health, Depression, and Social Media Usage among Adolescents

In a rapidly evolving digital society, the active engagement of adolescents on social media platforms has progressively increased. This study examines the relationships between depression, sleep health, and social media usage mainly among adolescents, along with a subset of undergraduates and working adults to explore other underlying reasons. A questionnaire was designed and distributed via the Questionnaire Star platform, yielding 115 respondents and 111 valid responses. The study utilized the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) to evaluate the three measures. Higher levels of depression are consistently associated with poorer sleep quality and shorter sleep duration; however, the influence of SMU on these variables is neither as direct nor as significant as initially hypothesized. This research provides a preliminary exploration of the concurrent effects of SMU on sleep quality and depression. Future studies should consider additional related variables and undertake longitudinal investigations.

Efficacy of a Meichenbaum-Based Treatment Program for Enhancing Psychological Immunity and Reducing Social Anxiety in Secondary School Students

Objective: The purpose of this study was to design a psychological treatment program based on Meyer's theory to increase psychological resilience and reduce social anxiety among secondary school students in Riyadh. Methods: A total of 973 secondary school students participated in the initial assessment, which revealed a 24.8% decrease in psychological resilience and a 23.7% increase in social anxiety. Out of this group, 28 students between 16 and 20 years (= 17 years) were randomly selected and divided into an experimental group and a control group. The treatment program was made for the current experiment only for the experimental group. Results: This proved to be true through the differences noted in the scores on the dimensional assessments, where the experimental group had increased extents of psychological resilience and reduced social anxiety. As a result, there were no statistically significant differences between the dimensional and follow-up assessments of psychological resilience as well as social anxiety levels within the experimental group. Conclusion: The study's outcomes demonstrated a positive impact of the intended psychological treatment program, leading to an increase in psychological readiness among the secondary school students in the group and a decrease in social anxiety levels. It presents an opportunity that supports developmental, preventive, and therapeutic approaches towards students' mental health and disorders, specifically severe social anxiety.

Topological properties of psychopathological networks of healthy and disordered individuals across mental disorders

The identification of psychopathological markers has been the focus of several scientific fields. The results were inconsistent due to lack of a clear nosology. Network analysis, focusing on the interactions between symptoms, provided important insights into the nosology of mental disorders. These interactions originate several topological properties that could constitute markers of psychopathology. One of these properties is network connectivity, which has been explored in recent years. However, the results have been inconsistent, and the topological properties of psychopathological networks remain largely unexplored and unknown. We compared several topological properties (i.e., connectivity, average path length, assortativity, average degree, modularity, global clustering) of psychopathological networks of healthy and disordered participants across depression (N = 2830), generalized anxiety (N = 13,463), social anxiety (N = 12,814), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (N = 16,426). Networks were estimated using Bayesian Gaussian Graphical Models. The Janson-Shannon measure of divergence was used to identify differences between the network properties. Network connectivity distinguished healthy and disordered participants' networks in all disorders. However, in depression and generalized anxiety, network connectivity was higher in healthy participants. The presence and number of motifs also distinguished the networks of healthy and disordered participants. Other topological properties (i.e., modularity, clustering, average path length and average degree) seem to be disorder-specific. The psychopathological significance of network connectivity must be clarified. Some topological properties of psychopathological networks are promising markers of psychopathology and may contribute to clarifying the nosology of mental disorders.

Psychosocial burden in mothers with epilepsy and their caregiver: Feasibility and preliminary results of a digital screening procedure

ObjectiveThe present study aims to evaluate the feasibility of utilizing a digital procedure to screen for anxiety and depression as well as impairments in psychosocial aspects, such as social support, social activity and quality of life (QoL) in women with epilepsy (WWE) after childbirth. Furthermore, the study intends to digitally screen for burden of the respective caregivers in WWE compared to a healthy control group. Materials and methodsThis comparative cross-sectional study was conducted in the post-partum period on 30 WWE and 33 healthy controls who gave birth between 01/2018 and 05/2021. Additionally, 24 caregivers of WWE and 26 caregivers of healthy mothers took part in this study. Information on psychosocial health and psychosocial burden was collected digitally using the short version of the Social Support Questionnaire, the Social Activity Self-Report Scale and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. The caregiver burden was digitally assessed with the Zarit Burden Scale in its German adaptation (i.e., Zarit Burden Interview and the Family Burden Questionnaire). Furthermore, QoL was assessed with the QOLIE-31 (Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory) in WWE and with the Life Satisfaction Questionnaire in healthy controls. ResultsWhen comparing WWE and healthy controls, the groups were comparable on psychosocial aspects, such as self-reported social support, anxiety, depression and social activity, when assessed with self-report measures in a digital screening procedure.Although not significantly different between groups, anxiety, depression, self-reported social support and social activity were correlated with overall QoL in both, WWE and healthy controls.Caregivers of WWE and healthy controls were neither significantly different in their objective burden nor in their subjective burden as reported in digitally applied self-report measures. ConclusionAlthough not significantly different between groups, given the correlation between psychosocial aspects and QoL, it is worthwhile to include these aspects in standard clinical screening extending beyond the screening of anxiety and depression in WWE.Overall, the preliminary psychosocial data presented in this study suggest that a digital assessment of psychosocial burden seems reasonable in WWE and warrants integration into further research and clinical practice.Nevertheless, since no significant differences concerning psychosocial aspects were found in the present study, one may argue that highly specialized clinical care, as provided in the present study, may counteract potential psychosocial impairment experienced by WWE who do not receive such specialized care.Hence, further investigations outside of specialized outpatient clinics as well as prospective investigations of subjective factors that may dynamically change during pregnancy ought to be addressed in clinical practice and research for improving care during and after pregnancy in WWE.

The impact of digital technologies on public life: a critical examination of perspectives from spatial design experts

ABSTRACT This study explores the influence of digital technologies on public life and evaluates spatial design professionals’ perceptions of these impacts. The research involved surveying architects, urban planners, and landscape architects to comprehend the ramifications of digital technology on public life. In total, 356 spatial design experts participated in the study. The analysis utilised descriptive statistical methods, t-tests and ANOVA tests for independent samples. The findings reveal that social isolation was rated highest among the spatial design experts’ scale, whereas social anxiety scored lowest among the elements comprising the spatial design experts’ scale. A comparison between participants’ socio-demographic characteristics and their scores on the impact of digital technologies in public life showed variances in gender, employment status, profession, and daily usage of digital technology, but found no significant differences in marital status, level of education, or professional experience. Consequently, this research sheds light on the repercussions of digital technology usage in public life, offering invaluable insights for all stakeholders, particularly spatial design professionals and social scientists. By understanding these impacts, the study highlights the importance of adopting more informed and conscious approaches to fostering positive social interactions and enhancing community well-being in public life.

Psychosocial benefits of dental corrections in adolescents and adults

Dental corrections play a pivotal role in enhancing psychosocial health among adolescents and adults, offering significant improvements in self-esteem, social interactions, and overall psychological well-being. Adolescents, who are particularly vulnerable to social pressures and self-esteem issues, benefit greatly from orthodontic treatments that address malocclusions and misalignments. These treatments lead to heightened self-confidence, reduced social anxiety, and fewer instances of bullying, fostering healthier social development and mental health. In adults, dental corrections not only improve aesthetics but also enhance professional and personal interactions. Improved dental health leads to increased social engagement, better communication, and higher levels of life satisfaction, reducing social withdrawal and depressive symptoms. The ability to smile confidently, speak clearly, and eat comfortably without feeling self-conscious is crucial for mental well-being. Individuals with enhanced dental aesthetics report significant improvements in their quality of life, engaging more in social activities and forming meaningful relationships. Research supports the profound impact of dental corrections on reducing anxiety, depression, and social isolation. Adolescents and adults who undergo these treatments experience a notable boost in self-esteem and confidence, which translates into improved academic performance, career opportunities, and overall life satisfaction. The broader implications of these findings emphasize the need for dental care practices to incorporate psychosocial considerations, enhancing the overall patient experience and promoting long-term mental health benefits. By prioritizing the psychosocial outcomes of dental treatments, dental professionals can significantly improve the quality of life for their patients, contributing to their overall well-being and societal participation.

Exploring stigma, shame, and safety behaviours in social anxiety and paranoia amongst people diagnosed with schizophrenia.

Social anxiety and paranoia are connected by a shared suspicion framework. Based on cognitive-behavioural approaches, there is evidence for treating social anxiety and psychosis. However, mechanisms underlying the relationship between social anxiety and paranoia remain unclear. To investigate mediators between social anxiety and paranoia in schizophrenia such as negative social appraisals (i.e. stigma or shame; Hypothesis 1), and safety behaviours (i.e. anxious avoidance or in situ safety behaviours; Hypothesis 2). A cross-sectional study was conducted among Asian out-patients with schizophrenia (January-April 2020). Data on social anxiety, paranoia, depression, shame, stigma, anxious avoidance, and in situ behaviours were collected. Associations between social anxiety and paranoia were investigated using linear regressions. Mediation analysis via 10,000 bias-corrected bootstrap samples with 95% confidence intervals (CI) was used to test the indirect effects (ab) of mediators. Participants (n=113, 59.3% male) with a mean age of 44.2 years were recruited. A linear relationship between social anxiety and paranoia was found. In multiple mediation analyses (co-varying for depression), stigma and shame (Hypothesis 1) did not show any significant indirect effects with ab=.004 (95%CI=-.013, .031) and -.003 (-.023, .017), respectively, whereas in situ behaviours (Hypothesis 2) showed a significant effect with ab=.110 (.038, .201) through the social anxiety-paranoia relationship. Social anxiety and paranoia are positively correlated. In situ safety behaviours fully mediated the social anxiety and paranoia relationship. Targeted interventions focusing on safety behaviours could help reduce paranoia in psychosis. Symptom severity should be measured to help characterise the participants' characteristics.

Dynamics between affect and social acceptance as a function of social anxiety: A person-specific network approach.

Social acceptance and rejection are salient experiences, especially during adolescence. Acceptance and rejection relate to changes in positive and negative affect, although directionality of the relation remains unclear. The ability to regulate affect following social experiences may be part of the etiology of social anxiety disorder. With the importance of social cues in adolescence, as well as adolescence as a key window for the onset of social anxiety, we used daily diary data collected in a sample ranging from 9 to 18 years to examine daily changes in acceptance, rejection, positive affect, and negative affect. Taking a person-centered approach, we constructed networks directionally linking social experiences and affect, which served as behaviors of interest ("nodes") in the network for each individual. From these networks, we extracted recovery times from different nodes, that is, the number of days it took for a node to return to baseline when (a) the node itself was perturbed and (b) when a connected node was perturbed. We examined associations between network metrics and social anxiety, age, gender, and their interaction. We found that the recovery time of positive affect when social acceptance was perturbed was inversely related with social anxiety and age, suggesting benefits of acceptance may be shorter lasting for those with more (vs. less) social anxiety symptoms and for older (vs. younger) adolescents. We conclude that positive affect may be a critical yet understudied piece in understanding why adolescence is a developmental period of increased risk for psychopathology and for understanding the etiology of social anxiety disorder. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Relations between changes in safety behavior, paranoid ideations, cognitive biases, and clinical characteristics of patients with a psychotic disorder over time

BackgroundSafety behaviors, both positive (maladaptive coping behavior) and negative (avoidance behavior), are used by people with paranoid delusions to avoid perceived threats. Safety behaviors contribute to the persistence of paranoid delusions by preventing disconfirmation of threat beliefs and may influence other psychiatric symptoms. This study investigated how changes in safety behaviors are related to changes in paranoid ideation, social anxiety, depression, cognitive biases and self-esteem over time. MethodsThis study included 116 patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (DSM-IV) and at least moderate levels of paranoid ideations (GTPS >40).The data were collected as part of a multi-center randomized controlled trial where patients were randomized to VR-CBT (n = 58) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 58). Assessments were completed at baseline (T0), after three months (T3) and after six months (T6). For all variables, change scores between T0 and T3 and T3 and T6 were calculated and Pearson correlations between change scores were computed. ResultsA decrease in total safety behavior was related to diminished paranoid ideation, social anxiety, and depression. No significant temporal associations were found between changes in safety behavior and changes in cognitive biases and self-esteem. Similar but less robust results were found for respectively negative safety behavior and positive safety behavior. ConclusionDropping safety behavior can be specifically targeted in behavioral interventions. Whereas there appears to be a relation with reduction in anxiety, paranoia, and depressive symptoms, changes in safety behavior do not seem to align with changes in cognitive thinking processes.

PROBLEMATIC INTERNET USE AND SOCIAL ANXIETY IN LATE ADOLESCENTS SOCIAL MEDIA USERS IN BEKASI CITY

The phenomenon of problematic internet use is one of the phenomena that is rife in late adolescents. This is an important concern for many researchers, especially regarding excessive internet use, especially in accessing social media. This study aims to determine whether there is a relationship between problematic internet use and social anxiety in late adolescents who use social media in Bekasi City. This study involved 111 late adolescents in the city of Bekasi who actively used social media for 5 hours or more/day. This research is a quantitative research with a correlational type. The sampling technique uses a purposive sampling technique. Data analysis was performed with the correlation technique of Pearson Product Moment using the program SPSS versi 25 for windows. Based on the result of research data analysis the value of corellation coefficient between those two variables is 0,661** with significant degree amount is 0,000, This suggest that there is a a positive relationship between problematic internet use and social anxiety among adolescents. So it can be concluded that the higher the problematic internet use in adolescents, the higher the level of adolescent anxiety.

Are younger people more accurate at identifying mental health disorders, recommending help appropriately, and do they show lower mental health stigma than older people?: Age differences in mental health disorder recognition

IntroductionMental health awareness initiatives and expansion in the concept breadth of mental health disorders have been suggested as potential contributors to the increased prevalence of mental disorders and help-seeking in younger people. Consistent with positive effects of mental health awareness campaigns, this study explored whether younger people show greater accuracy at recognising mental health disorders from written vignettes, lower mental health stigma and appropriate help-seeking recommendations. MethodParticipants (n = 134 participants <40 years and n = 105 participants ≥40 years of age) were randomised to see three vignettes (Schizophrenia, social anxiety and grief) depicting a ‘young’ character (in their 20 s) or an ‘older’ character (in their 50 s). After each vignette, they were asked whether the character had a mental health disorder, whether they should seek help and questions focused on mental health stigma. They were also asked questions about their own mental health. ResultsYounger participants were more likely to identify a mental health problem and recommend help-seeking for social anxiety and grief than older participants. There were no differences for Schizophrenia. Younger people showed greater stigma towards the vignettes depicting Schizophrenia and social anxiety and rated their own mental health significantly worse than older participants. ConclusionResults are consistent with better sensitivity, but lower specificity in the recognition of mental disorders in younger people. Perceptions of whether distressing experiences are considered a mental health disorder that requires professional help (but not the severity of the experiences themselves) may be different in younger compared to older age groups.

Social Anxiety and Fear of Being Misunderstood When Communicating Online

Social Anxiety and Fear of Being Misunderstood When Communicating Online

Prevalence of social anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Prevalence of social anxiety during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-analysis

The effect of social anxiety on student interactions in asynchronous online discussion forums as mediated by social presence and moderated by anonymity

The effect of social anxiety on student interactions in asynchronous online discussion forums as mediated by social presence and moderated by anonymity