title: The interpretation of negative social events in social phobia: changes during treatment and relationship to outcome.
abstract: Catastrophic interpretations of negative social events are considered to be an important factor underlying social phobia. This study investigated the extent to which these interpretative biases change during cognitive-behavioural treatment for social phobia, and examined whether within-treatment changes in different types of interpretations predict longer-term treatment outcome. Results showed that treatment was associated with decreases in various types of maladaptive interpretations of negative social events, but that social phobia symptoms 3 months after treatment were independently predicted only by within-treatment reductions in the degree to which individuals personally believed that negative social events were indicative of unfavourable self-characteristics. These findings are discussed in relation to cognitive models of the maintenance of social anxiety, and implications for treatment are considered.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Sydney NSW 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Judith K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Ronald M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Rapee
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003071:Cognition; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology; D016896:Treatment Outcome