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Effects of Self-Image on Anxiety, Judgement Bias and Emotion Regulation in Social Anxiety Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 April 2018

Hannah Lee ,
Jung-Kwang Ahn Open the ORCID record for Jung-Kwang Ahn [Opens in a new window]  and
Jung-Hye Kwon
Hannah Lee
Affiliation:
Korea University
Jung-Kwang Ahn
Affiliation:
Korea University
Jung-Hye Kwon*
Affiliation:
Korea University
*
Corresponding author: Jung-Hye Kwon, Korea University. E-mail: junghye@korea.ac.kr
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Abstract

Background: Research to date has focused on the detrimental effects of negative self-images for individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD), but the benefits of positive self-images have been neglected. Aims: The present study examined the effect of holding a positive versus negative self-image in mind on anxiety, judgement bias and emotion regulation (ER) in individuals with SAD. Method: Forty-two individuals who met the diagnostic criteria for SAD were randomly assigned to either a positive or a negative self-image group. Participants were assessed twice with a week's interval in between using the Reactivity and Regulation Situation Task, which measures social anxiety, discomfort, judgement bias and ER, prior to and after the inducement of a positive or negative self-image. Results: Individuals in the positive self-image group reported less social anxiety, discomfort and distress from social cost when compared with their pre-induction state. They also used more adaptive ER strategies and experienced less anxiety and discomfort after using ER. In contrast, individuals in the negative self-image group showed no significant differences in anxiety, judgement bias or ER strategies before and after the induction. Conclusions: This study highlights the beneficial effects of positive self-images on social anxiety and ER.

Keywords

social anxiety disorderself-imageryjudgement biasemotion regulation
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 47 , Issue 1 , January 2019 , pp. 81 - 94
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2018 

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Footnotes

1

These authors contributed equally to this work.

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