Psychology Dept. UNC-CH, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3270, USA.
Behav Cogn Psychother. 2013 Jan;41(1):52-65. doi: 10.1017/S1352465812000367. Epub 2012 May 28.
Cognitive models propose that social anxiety arises from specific dysfunctional cognitions about the likelihood and severity of embarrassment. Relational frame theory (RFT), on the other hand, posits that social anxiety arises from the unwillingness to endure unpleasant internal experiences (i.e. experiential avoidance [EA]). Although cognitive models have garnered empirical support, it may be that newer models such as RFT can improve our ability to predict and treat social anxiety.
We aimed to elucidate the relationship between dysfunctional cognitions and EA, as well as their independent and relative contributions to the prediction of social anxiety symptoms. We hypothesized that dysfunctional cognitions and EA would each be associated with social anxiety, as well as with each other. We also predicted that both EA and dysfunctional cognitions would remain independent predictors of social anxiety symptoms after controlling for each other and general distress.
Undergraduates high (n = 173) and low (n = 233) in social anxiety completed measures of social anxiety, dysfunctional cognitions, EA, and general distress. The overall sample was 66.3% female; mean age = 20.01 years (SD = 2.06).
Correlational analyses revealed that EA, dysfunctional cognitions, and social anxiety symptoms were moderately correlated with one another. Additionally, hierarchical regression analyses revealed that dysfunctional cognitions predicted social anxiety symptoms even after controlling for EA; the reverse was not found.
RESULTS suggest that EA and social anxiety specific cognitive distortions overlap to a moderate extent. EA does not add to the prediction of social anxiety symptoms above and beyond dysfunctional cognitions. Additional theoretical and treatment implications of the results are discussed.
认知模型提出，社交焦虑源于对尴尬可能性和严重程度的特定功能失调认知。另一方面，关联框架理论（RFT）假设社交焦虑源于不愿意忍受不愉快的内部体验（即体验回避[EA]）。尽管认知模型得到了实证支持，但也许像 RFT 这样的新模型可以提高我们预测和治疗社交焦虑的能力。
我们旨在阐明功能失调认知与 EA 之间的关系，以及它们对预测社交焦虑症状的独立和相对贡献。我们假设功能失调认知和 EA 都会与社交焦虑以及彼此相关。我们还预测，在控制彼此和一般困扰后，EA 和功能失调认知都会仍然是社交焦虑症状的独立预测因子。
高（n = 173）和低（n = 233）社交焦虑的大学生完成了社交焦虑、功能失调认知、EA 和一般困扰的测量。总体样本中女性占 66.3%；平均年龄为 20.01 岁（SD = 2.06）。
相关分析显示，EA、功能失调认知和社交焦虑症状彼此中度相关。此外，分层回归分析显示，即使在控制 EA 后，功能失调认知也可以预测社交焦虑症状；反之则不然。
结果表明，EA 和社交焦虑特定认知扭曲在中等程度上重叠。EA 并没有在功能失调认知之外为社交焦虑症状的预测增加额外的内容。讨论了结果的其他理论和治疗意义。
