Impact of the Integrated Program of Transdiagnostic Treatment and Parent Education on the Social Anxiety of Female Students.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to assess the efficacy of the combined program of transdiagnostic treatment and parent education in reducing social anxiety among female students. METHODOLOGY:  This descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among all female elementary school students in Bandar Abbas, Iran, during the academic year 2022-2023. The social phobia questionnaire was given to all female students in grades three to six to assess individuals in terms of the social anxiety disorder (SAD) variable. We used the social anxiety scale developed by Leibovitz as the questionnaire in this investigation. This self-assessment questionnaire was designed for individuals aged 18 and above. It consists of 24 statements, divided into two subscales: performance anxiety (13 statements) and social settings (11 statements). Each item is individually assessed for fear intensity on a scale of 0 to 3, ranging from no to extreme. Similarly, avoidance behavior is evaluated on a scale of 0 to 3, representing the frequency ranging from never to always. RESULTS:  The mean general anxiety levels among both groups (students vs. parents) during the pre-test were similar (48.06 ± 4.39 vs. 48.06± 4.1). However, in the post-test, the mean of the experimental groups was lower than that of the pre-test (32.13 ± 3.77 vs. 47.2 ± 3.6). The normality assumption for the pre-test and post-test variables of generalized anxiety was verified with a significance level over 0.05 (p ≥ 0.05). CONCLUSION: The findings demonstrated that the integrated meta-diagnostic treatment program for parents had a more pronounced effect on alleviating their social anxiety in comparison to students. These findings imply that if parents possess a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to their children's anxiety, it will significantly enhance their ability to mitigate their child's social anxiety.

Associations between social anxiety, physiological reactivity, and speech disfluencies in autistic young adults and controls.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study was to examine possible associations of social anxiety (SA) and speaking-related physiological reactivity with the frequencies of a) total disfluencies, b) typical disfluencies, and c) stuttering-like disfluencies, as well as d) stuttering-severity in autistic young adults and controls. METHODS: Thirty-two autistic young adults and 35 controls participated in this study. Participants were presented with video clips (viewing condition) and were then asked to talk about the videos (narrating condition). SA was measured by the self-report Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI). Speaking-related physiological reactivity was measured by the electrodermal activity (EDA), an index of emotional arousal. The speech samples from the narrating condition were analyzed for type and frequency of speech disfluencies and used for determining the stuttering severity. SA and speaking-related physiological reactivity were compared between the groups. Correlation between SA, physiological reactivity, disfluency frequencies, and stuttering severity were tested separately for both groups. RESULTS: No between-group differences were found in the overall SA, yet differences were found in SPAI subscales of social interaction, group interaction, and avoidance, as well as in agoraphobia. Both groups had higher physiological arousal in narrating condition in comparison to the video viewing condition, yet there was no between-group difference in the reactivity. No associations were found between SPAI measures, physiological reactivity, disfluency frequencies, and stuttering severity in the autistic group. In the control group, a negative association was found between physiological reactivity and total and typical disfluency frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: SA or speaking-related physiological reactivity were not associated with disfluency frequencies or stuttering severity in autistic persons. Negative association between physiological reactivity and disfluency frequencies found in the control group may indicate that the physiological arousal may impact the speech production process by reducing the overt disfluencies.

Network analysis of social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use in Chinese adolescents: A longitudinal study.

Social anxiety is a common comorbid factor of problematic mobile phone use, but the relationship between them from the inside structure has been underexplored. This two-wave longitudinal study aims to identify the central symptoms of problematic mobile phone use and social anxiety, respectively, as well as the bridge symptoms between the two disorders. Furthermore, this study examined the time and gender differences. A total of 3,294 Chinese adolescents were recruited during two waves (T1: January 2023; T2: August 2023), and completed the questionnaires of social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use. Through network analysis, the results showed that 1) the central symptom of problematic mobile phone use was "loss of control" both at T1 and T2, 2) the central symptom of social anxiety was "fear of negative evaluation" both at T1 and T2, and 3) the bridge symptom between social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use was "withdrawal" both at T1 and T2. Moreover, the network comparison test indicated that the nodes of social anxiety were more strongly associated with "craving", "loss of control", and "negative life consequences" of problematic mobile phone use at T2 than at T1. The nodes of social anxiety were more strongly associated with "negative life consequences" of problematic mobile phone use for boys than for girls, while the "fear of negative evaluation" was more strongly associated with "loss of control" for girls than for boys. These findings provide new scientific basis for interventions targeting adolescents who are susceptible to social anxiety and problematic mobile phone use.

Testing the Efficacy of a Brief, Self-Guided Mindfulness Ecological Momentary Intervention on Emotion Regulation and Self-Compassion in Social Anxiety Disorder: Randomized Controlled Trial.

BACKGROUND: Theories propose that brief, mobile, self-guided mindfulness ecological momentary interventions (MEMIs) could enhance emotion regulation (ER) and self-compassion. Such changes are posited to be mechanisms of change. However, rigorous tests of these theories have not been conducted. OBJECTIVE: In this assessor-blinded, parallel-group randomized controlled trial, we aimed to test these theories in social anxiety disorder (SAD). METHODS: Participants with SAD (defined as having a prerandomization cut-off score ≥20 on the Social Phobia Inventory self-report) were randomized to a 14-day fully self-guided MEMI (96/191, 50.3%) or self-monitoring app (95/191, 49.7%) arm. They completed web-based self-reports of 6 clinical outcome measures at prerandomization, 15-day postintervention (administered the day after the intervention ended), and 1-month follow-up time points. ER and self-compassion were assessed at preintervention and 7-day midintervention time points. Multilevel modeling determined the efficacy of MEMI on ER and self-compassion domains from pretrial to midintervention time points. Bootstrapped parallel multilevel mediation analysis examined the mediating role of pretrial to midintervention ER and self-compassion domains on the efficacy of MEMI on 6 clinical outcomes. RESULTS: Participants demonstrated strong compliance, with 78% (149/191) engaging in at least 80% of the MEMI and self-monitoring prompts. MEMI was more efficacious than the self-monitoring app in decreasing ER goal-directed behavior difficulties (between-group Cohen d=-0.24) and lack of emotional clarity (Cohen d=0.16) and increasing self-compassion social connectedness (Cohen d=0.19), nonidentification with emotions (Cohen d=0.16), and self-kindness (Cohen d=0.19) from pretrial to midintervention time points. The within-group effect sizes from pretrial to midintervention were larger in the MEMI arm than in the self-monitoring app arm (ER goal-directed behavior difficulties: Cohen d=-0.73 vs -0.29, lack of emotional clarity: Cohen d=-0.39 vs -0.21, self-compassion domains of social connectedness: Cohen d=0.45 vs 0.19, nonidentification with emotions: Cohen d=0.63 vs 0.48, and self-kindness: Cohen d=0.36 vs 0.10). Self-monitoring, but not MEMI, alleviated ER emotional awareness issues (between-group Cohen d=0.11 and within-group: Cohen d=-0.29 vs -0.13) and reduced self-compassion acknowledging shared human struggles (between-group Cohen d=0.26 and within-group: Cohen d=-0.23 vs 0.13). No ER and self-compassion domains were mediators of the effect of MEMI on SAD symptoms (P=.07-<.99), generalized anxiety symptoms (P=.16-.98), depression severity (P=.20-.94), repetitive negative thinking (P=.12-.96), and trait mindfulness (P=.18-.99) from pretrial to postintervention time points. Similar nonsignificant mediation effects emerged for all of these clinical outcomes from pretrial to 1-month follow-up time points (P=.11-.98). CONCLUSIONS: Brief, fully self-guided, mobile MEMIs efficaciously increased specific self-compassion domains and decreased ER difficulties associated with goal pursuit and clarity of emotions from pretrial to midintervention time points. Higher-intensity MEMIs may be required to pinpoint the specific change mechanisms in ER and self-compassion domains of SAD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework (OSF) Registries; osf.io/m3kxz https://osf.io/m3kxz.

"Why can't I say people's names?" Alexinomia as a widespread psychological phenomenon.

Psychological research has recently proposed alexinomia, characterised by an inhibited behaviour in saying names, as a distinct psychosocial phenomenon. Alexinomia is associated with anxiety and avoidance behaviours with regards to saying names and thus severely impacts every day social interactions and relationships. This study aimed to explore the prevalence of this newly established and poorly understood psychological phenomenon and to further determine its impact on everyday life. For this purpose, online advice and discussion forums were systematically searched for threads on and mentions of problems with saying names. We analysed a broad dataset from English-language comments discussing alexinomia-related experiences and behaviours, inclusive of varied demographics and geographical regions. The findings based on the qualitative analysis of 257 unique sources show that alexinomia is a widespread phenomenon. Moreover, the analysed online materials showed affected individual's use of a variety of effective and ineffective coping strategies and experience varying degrees of severity, which can potentially diminish with training. The study's results therefore highlight alexinomia as a relevant, yet highly under researched, field of study, and add to our knowledge on the experience of alexinomia in everyday life and its potential origins, especially relating to social anxiety and early-life familial dynamic.

Correspondence to Antici et al. Salivary CRP predicts treatment response to virtual reality exposure therapy for social anxiety disorder.

The study by Antici et al. (2024) investigates the effects of virtual reality exposure therapy on social anxiety disorder (SAD), focusing on the relationship between C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in saliva and therapy outcomes. Findings indicate that this therapy not only reduces SAD symptoms and discomfort but also correlates with decreased systemic inflammation, as evidenced by lowered CRP levels. Remarkably, higher baseline CRP levels predicted a greater reduction in anxiety symptoms, suggesting a unique response pattern in SAD compared to other psychological disorders. This study highlights systemic inflammation's significance in SAD and the promise of non-invasive biomarkers like salivary CRP for managing psychological disorders. It calls for more research to understand the underlying mechanisms and validate these initial findings.

Psychometric Analysis of the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Self-Report and Social Anxiety Spectrum Self-Report in the Korean Population.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Korean versions of the Obsessive-Compulsive Spectrum Self Report (OBS-SR) and the Social Anxiety Spectrum Self Report (SHY-SR) questionnaires, along with determining their optimal cut-off points in a Korean population. METHODS: The study included outpatients with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (n=86), or social anxiety disorder (SAD) (n=52), those with major depressive disorder (MDD) (n=27), and 33 healthy controls. Participants were administered the Korean versions of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR questionnaires. Clinical symptoms were also assessed with several self-rating scales. RESULTS: The Korean versions of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR demonstrated good internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity. Both questionnaires effectively differentiated between individuals with OCD or SAD and normal controls or those with MDD. Receiver-operating characteristic analyses of the OBS-SR and SHY-SR yielded area under the curve values of 0.89 and 0.96 for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Forth Edition diagnosis, respectively, and showed optimal threshold values of 50 and 44. CONCLUSION: The Korean versions of OBS-SR and SHY-SR demonstrate good reliability and validity in assessing manifestations of obsessive-compulsive and social anxiety psychopathology in Korean populations.

Social media addiction and academic engagement as serial mediators between social anxiety and academic performance among college students.

BACKGROUND: Social anxiety has been shown to affect college students' academic performance. However, the role of social media addiction and academic engagement in this association is unclear. METHODS: A total 2661 college students completed a self-report questionnaire including Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, the Bergen Social Media Addiction Scale, the Utrecht Student Work Engagement Scale for Students, and the grade point average. Hayes' PROCESS macro for SPSS was employed to test the serial mediation effect. RESULTS: Results indicated that social anxiety was negatively related to academic performance, only academic engagement played a single mediating role in the relationship between social anxiety and academic performance, meanwhile social media addiction and academic engagement acted as serial mediators between social anxiety on academic performance. CONCLUSIONS: Social media addiction and academic engagement can explain the potential mechanisms of the association between social anxiety and academic performance, which have implications for devising intervention strategies to enhance the mental health and academic outcomes of college students.

Better social reversal learning is associated with a more social approach across time.

Flexibly updating behaviors towards others is crucial for adaptive social functioning. Previous studies have found that difficulties in flexibly updating behaviors are associated with social anxiety (SA). However, it is unclear whether such difficulties relate to actual social behaviors. The current study investigated the relationships between negative-to-positive social reversal learning, social approach behavior, and SA across time. Participants (MTurk, Time 1 = 275, Time 2 = 126, 16 weeks later) completed a performance-based social reversal-learning task. In the initial phase, participants learned that interactions with certain individuals are associated with negative outcomes, whereas interactions with other individuals are associated with positive outcomes. In the reversal phase, these associations were reversed, requiring participants to update their behaviors. The relationships between the performance in the task, SA severity, and social approach behavior reported by participants were assessed cross-sectionally and longitudinally. We found that negative-to-positive updating was negatively associated with SA severity. Furthermore, negative-to-positive updating was positively correlated with social approach behavior, both cross-sectionally and prospectively. Hence, individuals with better negative-to-positive updating at Time 1 reported significantly more social approach behaviors across time. The results support the role of negative-to-positive updating as a mechanism associated with SA and social approach, advancing and refining interpersonal and cognitive theories of SA.

Studies of Social Anxiety Using Ambulatory Assessment: Systematic Review.

BACKGROUND: There has been an increased interest in understanding social anxiety (SA) and SA disorder (SAD) antecedents and consequences as they occur in real time, resulting in a proliferation of studies using ambulatory assessment (AA). Despite the exponential growth of research in this area, these studies have not been synthesized yet. OBJECTIVE: This review aimed to identify and describe the latest advances in the understanding of SA and SAD through the use of AA. METHODS: Following the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses) guidelines, a systematic literature search was conducted in Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. RESULTS: A total of 70 articles met the inclusion criteria. The qualitative synthesis of these studies showed that AA permitted the exploration of the emotional, cognitive, and behavioral dynamics associated with the experience of SA and SAD. In line with the available models of SA and SAD, emotion regulation, perseverative cognition, cognitive factors, substance use, and interactional patterns were the principal topics of the included studies. In addition, the incorporation of AA to study psychological interventions, multimodal assessment using sensors and biosensors, and transcultural differences were some of the identified emerging topics. CONCLUSIONS: AA constitutes a very powerful methodology to grasp SA from a complementary perspective to laboratory experiments and usual self-report measures, shedding light on the cognitive, emotional, and behavioral antecedents and consequences of SA and the development and maintenance of SAD as a mental disorder.

Perfectionistic Self-Presentation and Psychopathology: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Decades of research implicate perfectionism as a risk factor for psychopathology. Most research has focused on trait perfectionism (i.e., needing to be perfect), but there is a growing focus on perfectionistic self-presentation (PSP) (i.e., the need to seem perfect). The current article reports the results of a meta-analysis of previous research on the facets of PSP and psychopathology outcomes (either clinical diagnoses of psychiatric disorders or symptoms of these disorders). A systematic literature search retrieved 30 relevant studies (37 samples; N = 15,072), resulting in 192 individual effect-size indexes that were analysed with random-effect meta-analysis. Findings support the notion of PSP as a transdiagnostic factor by showing that PSP facets are associated with various forms of psychopathology, especially social anxiety, depression, vulnerable narcissism and-to lesser extent-grandiose narcissism and anorexia nervosa. The results indicated that there both commonalities across the three PSP and some unique findings highlighting the need to distinguish among appearing perfect, avoiding seeming imperfect and avoiding disclosures of imperfections. Additional analyses yielded little evidence in the results across studies including undergraduates, community samples and clinical samples. Our discussion includes a focus on factors and processes that contribute to the association between PSP and psychopathology.

Is a brief mindfulness ecological momentary intervention more efficacious than a self-monitoring app for social anxiety disorder? A randomized controlled trial.

Despite their proliferation, limited knowledge exists regarding possible benefits of brief mindfulness ecological momentary interventions (MEMIs) for social anxiety disorder (SAD). Propositions that MEMIs could alleviate SAD symptoms and related clinical outcomes remain untested. This trial evaluated a 14-day MEMI for SAD. Participants with self-reported SAD were randomized to MEMI (n = 96) or self-monitoring app (SM; n = 95). Whereas MEMI instructed mindfulness exercises, SM prompted only self-monitoring five times daily for 14 days. Participants completed state-level self-reports of depression, anxiety, and mindfulness pre-post-mindfulness practice and SAD symptoms, worry, depression severity, repetitive negative thinking, and trait mindfulness at pre-randomization, post-intervention, and 1-month follow-up (1MFU). Hierarchical linear modeling was conducted. The MEMI yielded statistically significantly larger improvements in momentary depression, anxiety, and mindfulness (Cohen's d = -0.10-0.11). Although no between-group effects emerged in alleviating SAD fear and avoidance, excessive worry, depression severity, repetitive negative thinking, and trait mindfulness (-0.13-0.15), within-group effects were significantly small-to-large from pre-post and pre-1MFU (-4.62-0.67). A significant reduction in depression severity occurred in MEMI (-0.63--0.60) but not SM (-0.31--0.29). Brief MEMI and SM yielded nondifferent sustained effects on SAD, comorbid symptoms, and risk factors, highlighting its potential value within stepped-care delivery settings.

Larger comfortable interpersonal distances in adults exposed to child maltreatment: The role of depressive symptoms and social anxiety.

Previous studies report a preference for larger comfortable interpersonal distance (CIPD) in individuals with child maltreatment (CM) when being approached by others. Yet, research on approaching others, as opposed to being approached, as well as on potential effects of social anxiety and depression is lacking. We investigated if CM and depressive symptoms influence CIPD and if social anxiety mediates the possible association of CM and CIPD when approaching a female stranger. One hundred ten participants with CM (CM) and 58 participants without CM (non-CM) experiences performed the stop-distance paradigm and stopped first when feeling uncomfortable (D1) and again when feeling very uncomfortable (D2). CM experiences were associated with a preference for larger CIPD, independent of depressive symptoms. All CM subtypes were associated with a larger D2. The relationship between CM and CIPD was partially mediated by social anxiety. These novel findings can help to develop interventions strengthening socially relevant skills and processes in those affected by CM, targeting alterations in social anxiety and depression.

Sociotropy and video game playing: Massively multiplayer online role-playing games versus other games.

INTRODUCTION: Internet Gaming Disorder (IGD) is associated with several psychiatric disorders. Previous research on IGD has predominantly focused on Massively Multiplayer Online Role-playing Games (MMORPGs), considered to be pro-social games as they foster interpersonal relationships necessary for in-game progress. Sociotropy is a personality trait characterized by a cognitive approach to dealing with interpersonal relationships. Individuals with high sociotropy have a strong desire for approval from others. Beck's cognitive theory of depression posits that high sociotropy can lead to depressive symptoms when faced with interpersonal stress. We used the I-PACE model to account for the consequences of distal factors such as sociotropy on the development and maintenance of IGD. The aim of this study was therefore to compare MMORPG players with players of other game genres in terms of sociotropy, social anxiety and depression. We hypothesized that sociotropy could serve as a predictor of IGD, particularly among MMORPG players. METHODS: A total of 233 French videogame players recruited from specialized internet gaming forums participated in the study via questionnaires. Different scales were used to assess depression and social anxiety symptoms, IGD intensity, and sociotropy and autonomy. RESULTS & DISCUSSION: MMORPG players reported higher psychological distress than players of other game genres. For all players, sociotropy, rather than autonomy, was found to be a predictor of social anxiety symptoms and IGD intensity. Sociotropy and depression explained IGD intensity only for MMORPG players and not for players of other game genres. The social dimension appears to be more prominent among MMORPG players and could be one of the main personality traits predicting this specific internet gaming disorder. The treatment implications for internet gaming disorder are discussed.

Mobile phone addiction and social anxiety among Chinese adolescents:Mediating role of interpersonal problems / Adicción al teléfono móvil y ansiedad social entre adolescentes chinos: papel mediador de los problemas interpersonales

Objetivos: Con frecuencia se ha informado que la adicción al teléfono móvil (MPA) está correlacionada con trastornos psicológicos como la depresión, el estrés y la ansiedad entre la población joven. Sin embargo, el grado en que estos factores se correlacionan con el AMP y el mecanismo potencial subyacente a esas relaciones son concluyentes. Este estudio tuvo como objetivo investigar la asociación entre el nivel de AMP y la ansiedad social entre adolescentes chinos y examinó el efecto de mediación de los problemas interpersonales entre ellos. Métodos: Una muestra de 1027 estudiantes escolares seleccionados mediante un método de muestreo aleatorio por conglomerados estratificados respondió a cuestionarios sobre el índice MPA, la escala de ansiedad por interacción social, el inventario de problemas interpersonales y variables demográficas. Se realizaron análisis de correlación de Spearman y de regresión lineal múltiple para investigar el alcance de la asociación entre la AMP y la ansiedad social, y la prueba de Sobel y el muestreo de arranque confirmaron el papel mediador de los problemas interpersonales. Resultados: De todos los estudiantes de nuestro estudio, el 5,9% tenían AMP, y la puntuación de AMP se correlacionó positivamente con la ansiedad social después de controlar las variables demográficas en el modelo ajustado. El análisis de regresión de mediación múltiple reveló que el problema interpersonal era un mediador parcial significativo entre la AMP y la ansiedad social. Conclusión: Los adolescentes del AMP fueron un subgrupo de población que necesita prestar más atención para prevenir la ansiedad social. Mejorar los problemas interpersonales podría ser un enfoque eficaz para abordar la ansiedad social inducida por el AMP en los adolescentes.(AU)

Objectives:Mobile phone addiction (MPA) has frequently report-ed to be correlated with psychological disorders such as depression, stress and anxiety among young population. However, the extent to which these factors are correlated with MPA and the potential mechanism underlying those relationships are conclusive. This study aimed to investigate the as-sociation between MPA level and social anxiety among Chinese adoles-cents, and examined the mediation effect of interpersonal problems be-tween them.Methods:A sample of 1027 school-based students selected by a stratified-cluster random sampling method responded to questionnaires re-garding MPA Index, Social Interaction Anxiousness Scale, Interpersonal Problems Inventory, and demographic variables. Spearman correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the extent of the association between MPA and social anxiety, and Sobel test and bootstrapping sampling confirmed the mediating role ofinterpersonal problems.Results:Of all students in our study, 5.9% were MPA, and MPA score was positively correlated with social anxiety after controlled for de-mographic variables in the adjusted model. Multiple mediation regression analysis revealed that the interpersonal problem was a significant partial mediator between MPA and social anxiety.Conclusion:The MPA adoles-cents were a subgroup population who need to pay more attention to pre-vent social anxiety. Improving interpersonal problems might be aneffec-tive approach to deal with MPA-induced social anxiety in adolescents.(AU)

Associations between olfactory reference disorder and social phobia - results of an internet-based study.

Despite the similar clinical features of Olfactory Reference Disorder (ORD) and Social Phobia (SP), or studies showing elevated comorbidity of the two disorders, and the conceptualization of ORD as a form of SP in the East Asian culture, to our knowledge, the relationship between ORD and SP has not been investigated. This study examined the association of ORD according to the 11th revision of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD-11) and SP in 225 German university / college students who completed self-ratings with regard to socio-demographic data and symptoms of SP and ORD within an anonymous internet-based survey. Symptoms of SP were assessed with the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). Symptoms of ORD according to the ICD-11 were assessed with the Olfactory Reference Disorder Questionnaire (ORDQ), developed for this study. In our sample, 86.6% of the participants who met the self-rated features for ORD also met the self-rated criteria for current SP. ORD severity scores were significantly related to SP. Participants with and without self-reported ORD differed significantly in their SP total scores. SP severity was also significantly correlated with poorer insight of ORD-related beliefs, greater ORD-related avoidance of intimate relationships and higher levels of shame and fear of rejection due to body odor. These preliminary findings indicate that ORD could be closely related to SP and highlight the need for future research on the relationship of ORD and SP in order to gain a better understanding of the development, maintenance, treatment and classification of ORD.

Mediation of social anxiety and depression during internet-delivered treatment for social anxiety disorder.

Many individuals with social anxiety disorder (SAD) have depressive symptoms that meet criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD). In our study, we examined the temporal relationship between symptoms of social anxiety and symptoms of depression during the course of an 11-week internet-delivered cognitive behavioral treatment (ICBT) for SAD (n = 170). Specifically, we investigated whether weekly changes in social anxiety mediated changes in depression, changes in depression mediated changes in anxiety, both or neither. In addition, we compared individuals with SAD and MDD (n = 50) and individuals with SAD and no MDD (n = 120) to examine the role of MDD as a moderator of the social anxiety-depression relationship. Lower-level mediational modeling revealed that changes in social anxiety symptoms mediated changes in depression symptoms to a greater extent than vice versa. In addition, mediation among individuals with SAD and MDD was significantly greater compared to individuals with SAD and no MDD. Our findings suggest that ICBT is effective in treating individuals with SAD regardless of comorbid depression, and that focusing ICBT interventions on social anxiety can lead to significant reductions in depression among individuals with SAD.

Mobile phone addiction and insomnia among college students in China during the COVID-19 pandemic: a moderated mediation model.

Background: Nowadays, it is widely acknowledged that mobile phone addiction is a risky factor for insomnia symptoms, but to date, people know little about the underlying relationship between them among undergraduates during the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of the present study was to examine the potential association between mobile phone addiction and insomnia, as well as the mediating role of social anxiety and the moderating role of physical activity. Methods: Using the Mobile Phone Addiction Tendency Scale, Social Phobia Inventory, Physical Activity Rating Scale and Insomnia Severity Index, 301 eligible college students in China were investigated. For data analysis, descriptive analysis, correlation analysis, moderating effect test, moderating effect test were carried out in turn. Results: The findings revealed a favorable correlation between mobile phone addiction, social anxiety and insomnia, as well as between social anxiety and insomnia. But physical activity was negatively correlated with social anxiety and mobile phone addiction, and social anxiety partially mediated the relationship between mobile phone addiction and insomnia. Additionally, physical activity played a significant moderating effect between mobile phone addiction and social anxiety. Conclusion: This study advances the knowledge of how mobile phone addiction raises the likelihood of experiencing insomnia symptoms, and also implies that upping physical activity level could lessen the harmful impacts from mobile phone addiction.

Psychometric Evaluation of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) in Algeria: A Comprehensive Approach Utilizing Network Analysis, Confirmatory Factor Analysis, and the Polytomous Rasch Model.

This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric characteristics of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) by employing network analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and the Polytomous Rasch Model. A cross-sectional data set was collected comprising 1,530 participants, with 959 being women and 571 being men. The Bootstrap Exploratory Graph Analysis unveiled the presence of two dimensions, with Items 17, 15, 5, 14, 6, and 9 exhibiting the highest strength centrality index. Notably, the Network Comparison Test indicated no differences in Network Invariance and global strength between the networks of women and men. Furthermore, the confirmatory factor analysis results demonstrated that the two extracted dimensions displayed an acceptable goodness of fit. In addition, the reliability coefficient values were acceptable, exceeding the threshold of 0.70. The Rasch analysis results suggested an overall fit, but some items exhibited overlap, suggesting their potential removal. Furthermore, it was recommended to develop new items to address gaps between existing items, particularly for measuring the lower levels of Social Anxiety Disorder. In conclusion, these findings provide robust evidence supporting the reliability and validity of the SPIN as a tool for measuring Social Anxiety Disorder in Algeria.

Transitioning to college: Testing cognitive bias modification for interpretations as an inoculation tool for social anxiety in college first-years.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Reducing social anxiety development among incoming college students may improve college adjustment and mental health outcomes. This study tested whether cognitive bias modification for interpretations (CBM-I) reduces social anxiety and increases adjustment during the transition to college, and whether changes in outcomes would be mediated by changes in interpretation biases. METHODS: Participants (N = 73) were randomly assigned to a 3-session weekly CBM-I condition or symptom tracking (ST) control condition. Multilevel models were used to estimate within-person trajectories from baseline to one week post-intervention and to test whether trajectories differed by condition. RESULTS: Those in the CBM-I condition (vs. ST) reported higher increases in social adjustment across time. There were not significant differences between conditions for changes in social anxiety, academic adjustment, and personal adjustment. CBM-I was indirectly linked to improvements in outcome variables via more adaptive interpretation biases. LIMITATIONS: CBM-I was administered in a laboratory setting, requiring more resources than some computerized interventions. CONCLUSIONS: Data tentatively support CBM-I for first-year students to increase social adjustment. Further, mediation findings provide support for targeting interpretation biases to improve social anxiety and adjustment outcomes. Yet, CBM-I did not outperform ST in improving social anxiety symptoms or other areas of college adjustment, and effect sizes were small, suggesting that more work is needed to amplify the potential of CBM-I as a therapeutic tool.