Ashlen S Ng1, Maree J Abbott2, Caroline Hunt1. 1. Clinical Psychology Unit, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Australia. 2. Clinical Psychology Unit, School of Psychology, The University of Sydney, Australia. Electronic address: maree.abbott@sydney.edu.au.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Cognitive models of Social Anxiety Disorder suggest that negative self-images maintain social fears despite repeated exposure to benign social situations. An accumulating body of evidence supports this notion, and preliminary data indicate that modifying self-imagery can potentially reduce fears of negative evaluation in socially anxious individuals. This systematic review aims to evaluate the existing research on the effect of self-imagery on symptoms and processes in social anxiety. METHODS: The following databases were searched: PsycInfo, Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Articles were limited to adult samples and English language papers that examined the effect of self-imagery on at least one measure related to social anxiety. Risk of bias and study results were reviewed for each study. RESULTS: In the 17 studies that were identified, negative self-imagery had a consistently adverse effect on anxiety, self and observer-rated performance appraisals, and negative thoughts for both socially anxious and non-clinical participants. Effects of negative self-imagery were generally not significantly greater for socially anxious participants. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is warranted to determine the precise role of different types of self-imagery for both clinical and non-clinical individuals.
BACKGROUND: Cognitive models of Social Anxiety Disorder suggest that negative self-images maintain social fears despite repeated exposure to benign social situations. An accumulating body of evidence supports this notion, and preliminary data indicate that modifying self-imagery can potentially reduce fears of negative evaluation in socially anxious individuals. This systematic review aims to evaluate the existing research on the effect of self-imagery on symptoms and processes in social anxiety. METHODS: The following databases were searched: PsycInfo, Medline, PubMed, and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials. Articles were limited to adult samples and English language papers that examined the effect of self-imagery on at least one measure related to social anxiety. Risk of bias and study results were reviewed for each study. RESULTS: In the 17 studies that were identified, negative self-imagery had a consistently adverse effect on anxiety, self and observer-rated performance appraisals, and negative thoughts for both socially anxious and non-clinical participants. Effects of negative self-imagery were generally not significantly greater for socially anxiousparticipants. CONCLUSIONS: Further research is warranted to determine the precise role of different types of self-imagery for both clinical and non-clinical individuals.