Social anxiety, rejection sensitivity, and theory of mind decoding ability
Kayla A Lord1, Michael K Suvak1, Gabrielle I Liverant1
1Suffolk University, Boston, Massachusetts, USA.
Journal of Clinical Psychology
|September 6, 2021
Summary
Social anxiety (SA) and rejection sensitivity (RS) are linked to difficulties in understanding others' emotions (theory of mind or ToM). This impacts social interactions and may worsen mental health symptoms.
Area of Science:
- Social cognition
- Mental health research
- Psychological science
Background:
- Clinically relevant variations in social processes are crucial for understanding mental illness.
- Limited research exists on the link between social anxiety (SA), rejection sensitivity (RS), and theory of mind (ToM) decoding ability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between social anxiety (SA) and rejection sensitivity (RS) and theory of mind (ToM) decoding ability in adults.
Main Methods:
- 199 adult participants completed the Reading the Mind in the Eyes Task.
- Self-report measures assessed social anxiety (SA) and rejection sensitivity (RS).
Main Results:
- Social anxiety (SA) was associated with difficulties in decoding positive emotions.
- Rejection sensitivity (RS) was linked to global impairments in theory of mind (ToM) decoding.
- These deficits may indicate a negative interpretation bias.
Conclusions:
- Findings suggest SA and RS impact social perception and interaction navigation.
- These cognitive patterns may perpetuate symptoms and reduce psychosocial functioning.
- Understanding these links is vital for mental illness treatment.
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