Research has shown that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is a frequently used effective intervention for social anxiety disorder (SAD) in children and adolescents. However, not much is known...Show moreResearch has shown that cognitive-behavioural therapy (CBT) is a frequently used effective intervention for social anxiety disorder (SAD) in children and adolescents. However, not much is known about the working mechanisms of CBT. This study examined variables that may play a role in the effectiveness of a CBT intervention for adolescents with SAD. Knowing which variables predict treatment outcome can help to enhance the efficacy of interventions for SAD. Research has shown that low self-efficacy, few positive cognitions and many negative cognitions are associated with SAD, hence the variables that were included were self-efficacy, positive cognitions, and negative cognitions. This study also examined whether age and sex acted as moderators on the relationship between a change in the predictor variables and a change in SAD. With the exclusion of dropouts and missing data, 36 adolescents aged 11-17 years with SAD participated in a group-based CBT intervention called Skills for Social and Academic Success (SASS). Before and after participation they filled out questionnaires measuring self-efficacy, cognitions and SAD. An interview was conducted to assess the severity of the SAD symptoms. Multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine whether change in SAD could be predicted by change in self-efficacy and cognitions. Results indicated that a change in positive and negative cognitions significantly predict a change in SAD symptoms, but only when using the questionnaire for SAD as the dependent variable. Furthermore, the change in negative cognitions is a stronger predictor for change in SAD for younger than for older adolescents. Sex did not act as a moderator on any of the variables. These results indicate that changing cognitions may be an important mechanism behind why CBT interventions work. Future research on this topic should focus on the role of positive as well as negative cognitions in CBT interventions.Show less
Background. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, like lockdowns, have resulted in changes in the lives of adolescents. Not much was known about the effect of lockdowns on social anxiety...Show moreBackground. The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, like lockdowns, have resulted in changes in the lives of adolescents. Not much was known about the effect of lockdowns on social anxiety in adolescents. Aim. This study aimed to gain insight into changes in social anxiety before and after a school closure associated with COVID-19 lockdown and its relation to the experience of the lockdown in Dutch adolescents aged 12-15 years. Methods. A total of 188 adolescents (M = 13.48, SD = 0.81) completed self-report measures of social anxiety on March 2020 (T1). In September 2020 (T2) they completed the same self-report measures of social anxiety, enjoyment of the lockdown, and Worries about COVID-19. Results. Adolescents with average or high symptoms of social anxiety before the first school closure showed a significant reduction in social anxiety symptoms after the first school closure. The expected positive association between social anxiety before and after school closure was moderated by Enjoying the lockdown but not gender. Furthermore, higher symptoms of social anxiety before the first school closure were associated with higher levels of enjoying the lockdown. Conclusion. Results indicated that adolescents with moderate to high social anxiety symptoms and who enjoyed the lockdown and associated consequences such as less face-to-face interaction were most at-risk of reporting higher symptoms of social anxiety once the schools had reopened.Show less
The COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, like lockdowns, have resulted in changes in the lives of adolescents. Not much was known about the effect of lockdowns on social anxiety in...Show moreThe COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions, like lockdowns, have resulted in changes in the lives of adolescents. Not much was known about the effect of lockdowns on social anxiety in adolescents. Aim. This study aimed to gain insight into changes in social anxiety before and after a school closure associated with COVID-19 lockdown and its relation to the experience of the lockdown in Dutch adolescents aged 12-15 years. Methods. A total of 188 adolescents (M = 13.48, SD = 0.81) completed self-report measures of social anxiety on March 2020 (T1). In September 2020 (T2) they completed the same self-report measures of social anxiety, enjoyment of the lockdown, and Worries about COVID-19. Results. Adolescents with average or high symptoms of social anxiety before the first school closure showed a significant reduction in social anxiety symptoms after the first school closure. The expected positive association between social anxiety before and after school closure was moderated by Enjoying the lockdown but not gender. Furthermore, higher symptoms of social anxiety before the first school closure were associated with higher levels of enjoying the lockdown. Conclusion. Results indicated that adolescents with moderate to high social anxiety symptoms and who enjoyed the lockdown and associated consequences such as less face-to-face interaction were most at-risk of reporting higher symptoms of social anxiety once the schools had reopened.Show less
Introduction. It has been argued that avoidance behaviour and anhedonia are possible predictors of developing depression in youth with high levels of social anxiety. Method. A community sample of...Show moreIntroduction. It has been argued that avoidance behaviour and anhedonia are possible predictors of developing depression in youth with high levels of social anxiety. Method. A community sample of 237 participants (age 9 - 17 years) participated in the present longitudinal study. During three waves, (over a period of three years) levels of social anxiety, avoidance behaviour, anhedonia and depression were collected using self-report questionnaires. Results. Mediation analyses show that high levels of social anxiety in youth predict an increase of depressive symptoms over time. This was fully mediated by avoidance. However, when controlling for initial depression levels the relation between social anxiety and later depression was no longer significant, though avoidance remained a full mediator. Anhedonia was not a significant mediator in the link between social anxiety and depression. Discussion. It has been argued that socially anxious youth tend to avoid social situations which leads to a relative increase of depression over time. However, socially anxious youth do not experience more anhedonia, while youth with high levels of anhedonia are at risk of developing depression. A recommendation for future research concerns another, better, sequential model to conduct this area. Finally, limitations of the study and therefor suggestions for future research involve a larger and more varied sample as well as including more methods to avoid subjectivity.Show less
The current study aimed to investigate the influence of positive feedback from peers on positive and negative affect in highly socially anxious students. High social anxiety is related to low...Show moreThe current study aimed to investigate the influence of positive feedback from peers on positive and negative affect in highly socially anxious students. High social anxiety is related to low positive affect and high negative affect. Positive affect is considered as a global and unidimensional factor that refers to valence and not to a specific positive emotion, that makes life enjoyable and also contributes in the increase of psychological flexibility and social bonds development. In the present study, 40 university students were asked to perform a speech task and received positive or neutral feedback from two individuals of the same age immediately after the speech. In order to see whether there are changes in positive affect and negative affect, each affect was measured at two time points, session one and session two with a 1-week interval. Results showed that participants who received positive feedback interpreted the feedback more positively than participants who received neutral feedback. There was no significant difference between positive and neutral feedback conditions on the positive affect and negative affect levels. Furthermore, positive affect seemed to decrease from the first to second session regardless of the feedback received, and negative affect was relatively stable. These findings are in contrast to previous findings regarding social anxiety and social feedback with positive valence in social situations. Our results suggest that people with social anxiety do attend to positive social situations but that this does not necessarily influence the way they feel to be more positive.Show less
