title: Self-verification and social anxiety: preference for negative social feedback and low social self-esteem.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A self-verification model of social anxiety views negative social self-esteem as a core feature of social anxiety. This core feature is proposed to be maintained through self-verification processes, such as by leading individuals with negative social self-esteem to prefer negative social feedback. This model is tested in two studies.
  
  
  METHODS
  In Study 1, questionnaires were administered to a college sample (N = 317). In Study 2, questionnaires were administered to anxiety disordered patients (N = 62) before and after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Study 1 developed measures of preference for negative social feedback and social self-esteem, and provided evidence of their incremental validity in a college sample. Study 2 found that these two variables are not strongly related to fears of evaluation, are relatively unaffected by a treatment that targets such fears, and predict residual social anxiety following treatment.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Overall, these studies provide preliminary evidence for a self-verification model of social anxiety.
authors: Northern Illinois University, DeKalb, USA. dvalentiner@niu.edu
authors: David P
authors: DP
authors: Valentiner
authors: John J
authors: JJ
authors: Skowronski
authors: Patrick B
authors: PB
authors: McGrath
authors: Sarah A
authors: SA
authors: Smith
authors: Kerry A
authors: KA
authors: Renner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D002755:Choice Behavior; D015928:Cognitive Behavioral Therapy; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology / Q000628:therapy; D005239:Fear; D030141:Feedback, Psychological; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007389:Internal-External Control; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D009042:Motivation; D010555:Personality Inventory / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology* / Q000628:therapy; D011594:Psychometrics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D012054:Reinforcement, Psychology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012649:Self Concept; D013223:Statistics as Topic; D055815:Young Adult