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Attentional focus in social anxiety disorder: potential for interactive processes
Luke T Schultz1, Richard G Heimberg
1Adult Anxiety Clinic of Temple University, Philadelphia, PA, United States.
Clinical Psychology Review
|June 17, 2008
Summary
Social anxiety involves focusing on negative thoughts and external cues. This review suggests individuals with social anxiety attend to both internal and external stimuli during social situations, though more research is needed.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Social Psychology
Background:
- Social anxiety is maintained by attention to threat stimuli.
- Two prominent cognitive behavioral models offer differing views on attentional focus in social anxiety.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review literature supporting two cognitive behavioral models of social anxiety.
- To examine differing predictions regarding attentional focus in social anxiety.
Main Methods:
- Literature review examining studies on attentional focus in social anxiety.
- Analysis of differing predictions from the Clark and Wells model versus the Rapee and Heimberg model.
Main Results:
- Socially anxious individuals attend to both internal negative thoughts and external evaluative cues.
- Evidence suggests an interdependence between internal and external attentional focus.
Conclusions:
- Socially anxious persons engage in both internal and external focus during social situations.
- Significant limitations exist in the current literature, necessitating future research.
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