Negative self-focused cognitions mediate the effect of trait social anxiety on state anxiety.
The cognitive model of social anxiety predicts that negative self-focused cognitions increase anxiety when anticipating social threat. To test this prediction, 36 individuals were asked to anticipate and perform a public-speaking task. During anticipation, negative self-focused cognitions or relaxation were experimentally induced while self-reported anxiety, autonomic arousal (heart rate, heart rate variability, skin conductance level), and acoustic eye-blink startle response were assessed. As predicted, negative self-focused cognitions mediated the effects of trait social anxiety on self-reported anxiety and heart rate variability during negative anticipation. Furthermore, trait social anxiety predicted increased startle amplitudes. These findings support a central assumption of the cognitive model of social anxiety.
Schulz
Stefan M
SM
Department of Psychology, Boston University, Boston, MA 02215-2002, USA.
Alpers
Georg W
GW
Hofmann
Stefan G
SG
D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology*; D001288:Attention; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013216:Reflex, Startle; D012649:Self Concept; D013060:Speech