Search

Despite the high prevalence of yips, a psychoneuromuscular impairment affecting fine motor skills in sports performance, the specific aspects of its causality and treatment have not been identified or verified. This cross-sectional study examined psychosocial factors relating to throwing yips in baseball. Amateur baseball players (N = 292) living in Japan completed a self-report questionnaire on their anxiety/fear about throwing the ball, the Acceptance and Action Questionnaire-II, the Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire, the Short Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, and self-reports evaluating values and social factors relevant to baseball. A hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicated that a low values-based throwing score, a high Cognitive Fusion Questionnaire score, and overreprimanding others' mistakes were positively associated with baseball players' yips symptoms. These results suggest that changing the context of playing baseball, reducing cognitive fusion, and improving coaching methods could reduce the risk of baseball players' throwing yips. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the metaphors used by 66 information professionals in Türkiye to conceptualize artificial intelligence (AI). Through qualitative metaphor analysis, rich insights emerged on perceptions of AI's nature, functioning, relationships with humans, roles, and societal impacts. Some of the metaphors used are child, human, artist, human intelligence, robot, assistant, doctor, weapon, terminator, something scary, closed box, black hole, Pandora's box, etc. Multiple, often contradictory metaphors like "child" and "uncontrollable power" indicate AI is viewed in a multidimensional way, evoking both promise and concern. Key findings suggest information professionals appreciate AI's transformative potential in enhancing services but also harbor anxieties related to human relevance, technocracy, and social issues like privacy. Understanding these complex cognitive and emotional orientations can facilitate responsible AI adoption to augment information services. Gesturing at AI's multifaceted connotations also foregrounds communication challenges complicating public debate and policymaking on emerging technologies. The value of this study lies in surfacing the nuanced perspectives of a stakeholder group positioned to mediate public understanding and direct integration of AI in information services. Mapping information professionals' rich construals of AI also highlights the need for public communication attuned to metaphorical reasoning around new technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networking sites (SNSs) play a crucial role in the lives of online users. This research aims to investigate the underlying mechanisms of SNS addiction and its subsequent impact on the wellbeing of online users. Employing the Stimulus-Organism-Response (SOR) model, we examine the influence of perceived enjoyment, utilitarian needs, and social influence on SNSs addiction and its associated consequences. Additionally, we consider the boundary conditions of loneliness as the predictors of SNSs addiction and social anxiety in the association between SNSs addiction and strain. We collected data (Time 1 and II) from 558 SNSs users using an online survey. By employing structural equation modelling via Smart PLS 4.0, our findings indicate that perceived enjoyment, utilitarian needs, and social influence significantly contribute to SNSs addiction. Furthermore, SNS addiction is positively correlated with strain, which positively triggers users’ wellbeing. We also found a significant positive moderating effect of loneliness and social anxiety on the proposed relationships. Overall, this study enhances our understanding of the theoretical foundations and multifaceted influences contributing to the literature on SNSs addiction and its impact on wellbeing through strain. It also acknowledges the study's limitations and suggests directions for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Design Methods Results Conclusions There is little research exploring the subthreshold social anxiety (SSA) in culturally diverse young people. This study addresses this gap and provides an insight into the vivid world of this ‘hidden’ population.Four participants from England were interviewed using semi‐structured interviews. Four superordinate themes and their corresponding subordinate themes emerged from the transcripts: Excessive self‐consciousness—The inner critic and Feeling judged by others; Influences of social and cultural norms—The impact of dress‐code rules and The pressure of high expectations; Embracing a false reality—Patterns of avoidance and The public self; and Coping strategies—Breaking the wall of cultural norms, Pushing the bubble out and Know that you are not alone. Due to the vastness of the data, this study presents only the first two superordinate themes and their corresponding subordinate themes.The author chose interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). This allowed the participants to describe thoroughly their lived experiences and enabled the researcher to adopt a scientific approach.The results revealed that the socio‐cultural background of this population played a pivotal role in the prevalence and expression of SSA.The participants' experiences were significantly influenced by the social and cultural norms of their country of origin as well as the characteristics of modern society in England. The predominant factors were the pressure of high expectations from family and society, transgenerational trauma, socio‐cultural norms, uncertainty about the future and lack of opportunities to secure employment. Future research could examine the socio‐cultural influences shaping contemporary British society and their impact on youth's mental health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lookism encompasses discrimination based on a person's physical appearance. In a society where lookism is prevalent, the question arises concerning the impact of the fear of lookism on one's well‐being. To address this issue, we assessed the fear of anticipated appearance discrimination by constructing a new Fear of Lookism Scale (FLS). By testing 400 Japanese participants, we developed a three‐factor seven‐item scale and confirmed its convergent validity by establishing significantly positive correlations among its subscales (exclusion/devaluation, romantic rejection and insult) and related measures (physical appearance perfectionism and social appearance anxiety) in Study 1. In Study 2a, we gathered data from 312 Japanese participants to assess the scale's test–retest reliability. In Study 2b, combining data from 401 American participants with data from Study 2a, we verified FLS measurement invariance in the United States and Japan. Japanese participants scored higher on the FLS than Americans, particularly for exclusion/devaluation and insult. Across cultures, romantic rejection and insult were positively associated with physical appearance perfectionism, which, in turn, decreased subjective happiness through impacting self‐esteem (or increased loneliness) and increased subjective happiness through impacting self‐esteem (or decreased loneliness) respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated the association between social anxiety and sleep quality and further explored the potential mediating role of internet addiction in depressed adolescents. Methods: This study included 440 Chinese depressed adolescents (mean age = 15.0 years, SD = 2.0). Participants completed questionnaires, including Social Avoidance and Social Distress Scale, Internet Addiction Test, and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index. A structural equation model was used to analyze the association between social anxiety and sleep quality, with internet addiction as a mediator. Gender differences were examined by multi-group analysis. Results: Among participants, 61.8% reported poor sleep quality. The sleep quality was significantly different on the level of gender (p = 0.016), education level (p = 0.043), and family history (p = 0.002). Sleep quality was positively associated with social anxiety (p < 0.001) and internet addiction (p < 0.001). Furthermore, internet addiction partially mediated the relationship between social anxiety and sleep quality, and the mediation effect ratio was 16.1% (p < 0.001). Finally, no significant differences were found in this mechanism. Conclusion: We concluded that both social anxiety and internet addiction were risk factors for depressed adolescents' poor sleep quality. Social anxiety further affected sleep quality through internet addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to modify the Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) to make it more suitable for assessing social anxiety among Chinese social media users, taking into account the unique cultural nuances and social media usage patterns in China. Consequently, a systematic approach was adopted, involving three distinct studies. Study 1 involved translating the English scale into Chinese, conducting interviews with Chinese social media users, and subsequently revising the scale items based on the interview data to ensure cultural appropriateness. Study 2 employed an online survey to collect data and examine the reliability and construct validity of the revised scale, including a two-phase approach: an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was conducted with 500 participants to identify the underlying factor structure, and a subsequent confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) with 408 participants was used to cross-validate the results. Thus far, this study has developed a social anxiety scale for Chinese mobile social media users (SAS-CMSMU) consisted of 11 items on three factors: Interaction Anxiety, Privacy Concern Anxiety, and Shared Content Anxiety. Study 3 (N = 1,006) applied the SAS-CMSMU to assess social anxiety among Wechat users. The results indicated that participants showed a high level of overall social anxiety (M = 3.646 > 3). Specifically, Privacy Anxiety was the most pronounced, followed by Shared Content Anxiety and Interaction Anxiety. Moreover, significant statistical differences in social anxiety levels were found among WeChat users across gender, age, education, income, and relationship status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social anxiety disorder imposes impacts of functional disability, poor educational achievement, loss of work productivity, social impairment, greater financial dependency, and impairment in quality of life. Therefore, the aim of this study was to assess the prevalence and identify determinants of social anxiety disorder among people living with HIV/AIDS. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted from 1 to 30 May 2022 among 354 people living with HIV using a simple random sampling technique. The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) Scale was used to assess the presence of social anxiety disorder. Data were gathered using chart review tools and a structured questionnaire, which was administered by a pretested face-to-face interviewer. SPSS version 25 was used to analyse the data once they were imported into EpiData Manager version 4.6. Binary and multivariable logistic regressions were performed. After calculating odds ratios with a 95% confidence interval (CI), statistical significance was established at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 336 respondents participated in the study, resulting in a response rate of 94.91%. The magnitude of social anxiety disorder was 32.44% (95% CI: 27.4, 37.2). Being female [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 3.55, 95% CI: 1.61, 7.84], having a stage III/IV HIV/AIDS status (AOR = 3.17, 95% CI: 1.10, 9.13), being alcohol dependent (AOR = 2.81, 95% CI: 1.45, 5.44), and having perceived stigma (AOR = 5.62, 95% CI: 2.95, 10.72) were predictors of social anxiety disorder. Conclusion: In this study, approximately one-third of people living with HIV/AIDS had social anxiety disorder. Being female, having a stage III/IV HIV/AIDS status, being alcohol dependent, and having perceived stigma were predictors of social anxiety disorder. Therefore, training for health care providers on the screening, counselling, and management of social anxiety disorder is important. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Fear of Public Speaking (FOPS), also known as glossophobia, is classified as a nongeneric social anxiety disorder associated with performance situations that involve perceived scrutiny by others. Distraction can be used passively or actively, and one of the active types of distraction is virtual reality (VR) distraction. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to investigate whether VR distraction is effective in reducing anxiety caused by fear of public speaking. METHODS: Fifty-six individuals participated in the study (VR Distraction- VR-D:19, Non VR Distraction- Non VR-D:19, Control: 18), who were university students in a split-plot experimental design. The mean age of the participants was 20.9±1.8 and 55 % (n:31) was female. Participants completed the Personal Information Form, the Public Speaking Anxiety Scale (PSAC), and the COVID -19 Fear Scale (CAS) and were randomly assigned to groups based on these scores. Pre- and post-test measurements were taken using the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI-I). RESULTS: Pre and post-test comparisons revealed statistically significant reductions in STAI-I in all groups. Our main results were pre-test (F: 0.23, p: 0.792, η2: 0.00) and post-test (F: 10.50, p<0.001, η2: 0.28). VR-D reduced anxiety more than the other groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim Methods Results Conclusions Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a common disorder characterized by excessive fear of scrutiny and embarrassment, leading to severe distress and avoidance behaviors or dysfunctions. SAD and other relevant diseases have been reported to be associated with a higher risk of aging‐related diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and diabetes mellitus. Recently, epigenetic clock analysis, which measures biological aging based on comprehensive DNA methylation (DNAm) status, has been widely conducted. We conducted epigenetic clock analyses in patients with SAD and controls, examining various epigenetic age acceleration and DNAm‐based predictive values of aging‐related proteins (GrimAge components and GrimAge2 components), including leptin level.We used the publicly available DNAm dataset, GSE164056, which consists of 66 patients with SAD and 77 controls of Caucasian descent aged between 18 and 50 years. We conducted regression analyses investigating the association between SAD and various indices of epigenetic aging, using age and sex as covariates.None of the epigenetic clocks showed significant differences in age acceleration. Of the DNAm‐based predictive values of aging‐related proteins, leptin level in GrimAge components (q = 0.0123) and GrimAge2 components (q = 0.0123) were significantly lower in patients with SAD than in controls.The results of this study suggested that leptin may be involved in SAD pathogenesis as an aging‐related protein. Therefore, further studies with different designs are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Individuals with high social interaction anxiety (SIA) and depression often behave submissively in social settings. Few studies have simultaneously examined the associations between objectively assessed submissive behaviors and SIA or depression, despite their high comorbidity and unknown mechanisms regarding submissiveness. A sample of 45 young adults self-reported trait SIA and depression, state positive/negative affect (PA/NA) before and after a virtual social interaction. Participants engaged in a four-minute conversation with a confederate who was trained to behave neutrally. Mutual eye gaze, via eye-tracking, and vocal pitch were assessed throughout the interaction. Depression and SIA were positively correlated with NA, poorer self-rated performance, and vocal pitch. Highly socially anxious women engaged in less mutual eye gaze than highly socially anxious men. Also, vocal pitch was inversely associated with mutual eye gaze and positively related to NA and (nonsignificantly) to self-ratings of poor performance. Finally, our data partially replicated past research on the use of vocal pitch during social stress to detect social anxiety disorder. The current sample is relatively homogenous in educational attainment, age, and race. All research confederates were women. Future research should examine whether these archival data replicate with the latest telecommunication technologies. Our findings highlight nuanced relationships among SIA, depression, emotions, self-perceptions, and biobehavioral indicators of submissive behavior—in response to an ambiguously negative/positive social interaction. Sex/gender may interact with these effects, emphasizing considerations for research method designs. • Eye-tracking and vocal pitch (F0) assessed during an impromptu virtual conversation. • Depression and social anxiety related to negative affect and perceived performance. • Socially anxious females, versus males, made less eye contact with women confederates. • Higher F0 related to greater pre-interaction negative affect and lower eye contact. • The use of F0 to detect social anxiety disorder was partially replicated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Youth with a family history of bipolar disorder (At-Risk) have a higher risk of developing psychiatric disorders and experiencing environmental stressors than youth without such family history (Control). We studied the differential associations of familial and environmental factors on developing psychiatric diagnoses and symptoms, in At-Risk and Control youth. At-Risk and Control youth (N = 466, ages 9–22) were systematically assessed for severity of symptoms, psychiatric diagnoses, and self-reported measures of stress and social support. We tested the association of family history and measures of stress or support with symptom severity and diagnoses. At-Risk youth had higher symptom severity scores and were more frequently diagnosed with psychiatric disorders (all p values < 0.001). When predicting mood symptom severity, family history had an interaction effect with stressful life events (p < 0.001) and number of distinct traumatic events (p = 0.001). In multivariate models, At-Risk status predicted anxiety disorders (OR = 2.7, CI 1.3–5.4, p = 0.005) and anxiety severity (Coefficient = 0.4, CI 0.2–0.7, p < 0.001) but not mood or behavioral disorder diagnoses or severity. Measures of stress and social support were based on self-report. Not all participants had passed through the period of risk for developing the outcomes under study and the follow up period was variable. We could not fully study the differential impact of physical or sexual abuse due to low frequency of occurrence in controls. At-Risk youth exhibit more severe mood symptoms compared to Controls when exposed to similar levels of stress or trauma. At-Risk youth are also more prone to develop anxiety which may be a precursor for bipolar disorder. • Youth at risk for bipolar disorder had more mood, anxiety, behavior and substance use diagnoses or symptoms than controls. • At risk youth had higher levels of mood symptoms compared to controls when exposed to similar levels of stress and trauma. • Controlling for several environmental factors, at risk status was more predictive of anxiety disorders and symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Navigating social situations can be challenging due to uncertainty surrounding the intentions and strategies of others, which remain hidden and subject to change. Prior research suggests that individuals with anxiety-related symptoms struggle to adapt their learning in uncertain, non-social environments. Anxiety-prone individuals encounter challenges in social functioning, yet research on learning under uncertainty in social contexts is limited. In this preregistered study, we investigated whether individuals with higher levels of trait anxiety and fear of negative evaluation encounter difficulties in adjusting their learning rates in social contexts with stable or volatile outcome contingencies. We implemented a modified trust game (N = 190), where participants either retained or lost their investments based on their interactions with two players in volatile or stable environments. Participants also completed a matching non-social control task involving interactions with slot machines. Results from computational modeling revealed significantly higher learning rates in social compared to non-social settings. Trait anxiety did not affect the adaptability of learning rates. Individuals with heightened fear of negative evaluation were more sensitive to social compared to non-social outcomes, as reflected in their stay/switch behavior and, though less conclusive, in their learning rates. While transdiagnostic and dimensional approaches are important for investigating disturbed social functioning, the inclusion of clinical samples in future studies may contribute to a broader generalization of these findings regarding behavioral variances in uncertain social environments. Individuals with increased fear of negative evaluation may demonstrate heightened sensitivity to learning in uncertain social contexts. This leads to heightened responsiveness to recent outcomes in their interactions with others, potentially contributing to their problems in social functioning. • Social and matching non-social probabilistic learning tasks assessed differences in learning under uncertainty in stable and volatile environments. • Computational modeling revealed significantly higher social compared to non-social learning rates. • Heightened fear of negative evaluation was linked to generally elevated learning rates and increased behavioral reactivity to feedback in the social vs. non-social context. • Increased fear of negative evaluation was associated with heightened sensitivity in uncertain social contexts, potentially affecting social functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public speaking is one of the most commonly feared situations reported in both community and university samples. Despite extensive theoretical models and empirical studies aimed at delineating the underlying factors of Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA), the specific variables contributing to its onset remain incompletely characterised. The research involved 297 participants from an AmazonTurk survey, engaging with virtual public speaking scenarios differentiated by audience size, engagement levels, and room spatial dimensions. Participants' anticipated anxiety levels were quantitatively assessed across these scenarios, enabling a comprehensive exploration of the interaction between situational variables and PSA, thereby providing a framework to explore the influence of audience size, engagement, and spatial dimensions on PSA. The mixed-effect model revealed a significant interaction among audience size, audience engagement, and room spatial dimensions. Further analyses using principal axis factoring and multiple regression identified three main factors: F1 (Engagement in a Large Audience), F2 (Confinement or Evaluation Anxiety), and F3 (Audience Disengagement). These factors significantly predict PSA scores. This study reveals that PSA is influenced by a complex interplay of audience size, room dimensions, and audience engagement. The finding underscores the viable way to incorporate these situational variables in both empirical investigations and therapeutic interventions. Specifically, it introduces a novel framework for standardising audience size relative to room capacity. • Investigated factors influencing Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA) in virtual scenarios • Mixed-effect model shows interaction of audience size, room dimensions, and engagement. • Identified three key factors: Large Audience Engagement, Evaluation Anxiety, and Audience Disengagement • Factors significantly predict PSA scores in diverse public speaking situations. • Introduced a new framework for standardising audience size relative to room capacity [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a highly heterogeneous disorder. To enlighten its heterogeneity, this study focused on recalled parental behavior and aimed to empirically identify if there are subgroups of SAD based on recalled parental behavior by means of cluster analysis. Further, the study investigated whether those subgroups differed on clinical, trauma, and personality variables. This study included 505 individuals diagnosed with SAD and 98 adult controls who were asked to fill out the Parental Bonding Instrument (PBI), the Adverse Childhood Experiences Questionnaire (ACE), and the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI). Cluster analysis determined whether there are meaningful SAD subgroups based on PBI. The clusters obtained were compared with each other and with the control group with regard to clinical, ACE, and TCI variables. The cluster analysis revealed two SAD clusters based on recalled parental behavior. SAD individuals in the first cluster (49.3 %) perceived their parents as intermediately caring, but not as overcontrolling. SAD individuals in the second cluster (50.7 %) perceived their parents as less caring and overcontrolling, reported more severe clinical symptoms and trauma, and had lower values in Self-Directedness and Cooperativeness. The present study is cross-sectional, therefore unable to confirm causal interpretations. Parenting is meaningful to enlighten the heterogeneity of SAD symptomatology and to specify treatment approaches as there are two meaningful subgroups in individuals with SAD corresponding to differences in clinical presentation, trauma, and personality. • Parental behavior is of great relevance for SAD and can uncover its heterogeneity. • Based on recalled parental behavior cluster analysis can identify two subgroups of SAD. • Subgroups account for 50.7 % and 49.3 % of 505 individuals with SAD. • Less care and overcontrol characterize the clinically more severe subgroup. • Subgroups differ significantly in character dimensions according to the TCI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anxiety disorders (ADs) are a complex group of mental disorders and majorly contribute to the global health-related burden. Symptoms and clinical management differ widely depending on the specific diagnosis. There is a need for new, more effective pharmacological treatments for these patients as many patients do not respond to treatment and treatment is not available for several types of AD. The increased interest in the potential effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on symptoms of AD has led to several preclinical and clinical studies that suggest that CBD may be effective in some patients with AD. However, it remains unclear whether and how CBD can be used in the clinical management of ADs due to a lack of sufficiently robust clinical evidence. Comparative evaluation: This narrative review provides a critical analysis of the current state of the art for ADs and summarizes six recently completed and 22 currently ongoing clinical trials investigating the effects of CBD on ADs or anxiety. The aim was to examine whether the ongoing trials are likely to provide the necessary solid evidence, or whether new studies with more robust design parameters can help to overcome the prevailing lack of solid clinical data for this CBD indication. Most of the trials reviewed are considered exploratory and do not focus on specific types of clinical anxiety or ADs as the primary condition studied. Participant numbers, CBD dose, treatment duration, and CBD formulation vary widely among the studies, and all but two are single-center studies. Conclusion: For an effective clinical management of ADs using CBD, there is a need for sufficiently powered and appropriately designed clinical trials (RCT, multicenter, defined doses and exposure monitoring, robust primary outcomes) investigating the effect of CBD in specific ADs, such as social anxiety disorder and panic disorder, or in post-traumatic stress disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social dysfunction is common across psychiatric disorders, including depressive and anxiety disorders. Both disorders have been associated with negative biases in socioaffective neural processing, which may impact responses to social stimuli. This study aims to determine whether social dysfunction across these psychiatric disorders is indeed coupled to altered neural processing of negative and positive valenced emotional stimuli and whether a common neurobiological correlate can be identified. An implicit emotional faces functional magnetic resonance imaging task was used to measure brain activation in response to emotional stimuli in participants with depression (N = 46), anxiety (N = 45), comorbid depressive and anxiety disorders (N = 57), and healthy controls (N = 52). Social dysfunction was indexed using five items of the World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule‐2.0 (i.e., perceived social disability) and with the De Jong‐Gierveld Loneliness scale (LON; i.e., perceived loneliness). Higher perceived social disability scores were associated with greater brain activation in the left angular gyrus in response to sad emotional faces across all participants but did not correlate with responses to overall negative (sad, angry, and fearful) or positive (happy) emotional faces. No interaction effect of diagnosis was observed for the finding. Perceived loneliness scores did not correlate with brain activation to emotional faces. Taken together, perceived social disability across persons with and without depressive and/or anxiety disorders converges specifically on sad emotional processing of the left angular gyrus, suggesting a potential common neurobiological correlate for social dysfunction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An individual's social adaptation, which is influenced by both internalizing and externalizing factors, depends on social anxiety. We proposed that the connection between parental psychological control and social anxiety among middle school students was mediated by negative emotion response‐focused strategies and moderated by socioeconomic status (SES). We collected data from 1343 Chinese students from 12 to 16 years old (M = 13.3, SD = 0.96) by applying the questionnaire of parental psychological control scale, social anxiety scale and negative emotion response‐focused strategies scale. The findings demonstrated that parental psychological control, including father and mother psychological control, was positively associated with social anxiety and that the relationship between parental psychological control and children's social anxiety was mediated by negative emotion response‐focused strategies. Meanwhile, SES played a moderating role in the relationship between children's negative emotion response‐focused strategies and social anxiety. The findings also suggest that we should pay more attention to the psychological status and social interaction of children with lower SES. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Beliefs about Losing Control Inventory (BALCI) was developed to assess negative beliefs about losing control in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Since its creation, research and theoretical work support negative beliefs about losing control as a potential transdiagnostic construct. The present study revised and expanded the original BALCI to be more inclusive of control-related concerns beyond those that would be expected in OCD (e.g. concerns about losing control over how one comes across to others in social anxiety disorder; SAD). Undergraduate students (N = 440) completed a questionnaire battery including the BALCI-II item pool. An exploratory factor analysis of the 32-item BALCI-II supported a four-factor solution. Three of the identified factors capture the feared consequences of losing control: 1) overwhelming emotions, 2) dangerous behaviour, and 3) madness. The fourth factor captures inflated beliefs about probability/severity of those losses. The BALCI-II was found to have good convergent and divergent validity, good to excellent internal, and retest reliability and was shown to have predictive utility in both OCD and SAD, above and beyond existing disorder-specific maladaptive belief domains. Results suggest the BALCI-II is an improvement over the previous version and supports the relevance of these beliefs beyond OCD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders in Canada. Viable therapy options for the treatment of SAD include CBT being delivered virtually. In Australia, an innovative internet-delivered cognitive-behavioral therapy (iCBT) program for social anxiety has been developed, implemented, and demonstrated as effective. To make available high-quality and real-time evidence in response to the crucial need to access psychological services to meet population mental health needs, we propose to conduct a Canadian adaptation of the iCBT Shyness Program and to examine the program's effectiveness, and implementation in two Canadian provinces (Quebec and Ontario). Methods: The overall study design is a hybrid effectiveness-implementation study of a quasi-experimental parallel group trial. Prior to implementing the iCBT Shyness Program, it will undergo an initial adaptation to the Canadian context and focus groups will be conducted with key actor groups to discuss the adaptations to the graphics, narration of the lessons, and this to better reflect varying socio-cultural context among Canadian French- and English-speaking populations. We will evaluate the effectiveness of the program in three parallel pathways reflecting real-world pathways: (1) self-refer to the intervention; (2) recommended by a health professional without guidance; and (3) recommended by a health professional, with low-intensity guidance. Data collection will be carried out at baseline, at the beginning of each lesson, 12-week and 6-month follow-up. Outcomes measured will include anxiety and depressive symptoms, psychological distress, disability, as well as health service utilization and satisfaction. Semi-structured interviews will then be conducted with study participants and health care providers to explore facilitating factors and barriers to the implementation of the iCBT adapted program. Discussion: This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness, barriers and facilitating factors to implementing a low-intensity iCBT in the Canadian context for SAD, which will bridge an important care gap for undeserved populations in Canada with SAD. Findings will inform the eventual scaling up of the program in community-based primary care across Canada. This would improve equity of the health care system by helping a large number of Canadians to timely access to mental health services. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov NCT06403995. Prospectively registered on 05/03/2024. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Children with elevated behavioural inhibition (BI) show context‐inappropriate fear and dysregulated RSA across stressor tasks. However, few studies have examined dynamic RSA within tasks and relations to parent and child anxiety. Using piecewise growth modelling and multimethod baseline data from an intervention study of 151 3.5–5‐year‐old children and their parents, we examined relations between child social anxiety (SA), parent anxiety and their interaction in predicting children's RSA across social stressor tasks (e.g. learning about unfamiliar peers, Trier Social Stress). Within the sample, 49.63% of children were reported to be White, non‐Hispanic/Latine (n = 67), 22% multiracial (n = 31), 14.81% Asian/Pacific Islander (n = 20) and 12.59% Black/African‐American (n = 17). Furthermore, 64.44% of the parents were reported to be White, non‐Hispanic/Latine (n = 87), 20% Asian/Pacific Islander (n = 27), 13.33% Black/African‐American (n = 18) and 2.22% multiracial (n = 3). Children showed differentiated RSA reactivity and recovery within an anticipatory social learning task based on their level of clinically appraised SA. Relations between child SA and RSA across tasks was moderated by parent anxiety, specifically for dyads matched in anxiety. Findings provide support for the potential influence of both child and parent anxiety on children's parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) responses across specific self‐regulatory tasks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Different forms of eco-therapeutic interventions have positively impacted the physical, psychological and social wellbeing status of service users across a range of age groups. However, there has been little evidence exploring the experience and perceived impact of an ecotherapy program for adolescents in the UK. This study explored perceptions of adolescents and their parents of an ecotherapy program targeting improved mental health and wellbeing. This study involved semi-structured interviews with adolescents and their parents. Interviews took place shortly after the program ended (adolescents and parents) and six weeks after (adolescents only). Interviews from the two groups were initially analyzed separately before being triangulated. Eight adolescents and seven parents were interviewed in total. Three themes were generated: building connections, learning and exposure, and comparing and constructing with prior services accessed. Perceived improvements across adolescents included reduced negative emotions and anxiety, and greater self-esteem, confidence, and social skills. For the latter theme, there were reported distinctive experiences of attending this ecotherapy program compared with professional mental health support services. Exploring nature brought adolescents together with benefits of engaging in support services that varied from the norm. Future research should examine the feasibility of using ecotherapy as an alternative treatment to traditional therapy in supporting mental health, and evaluate the economic viability of such a program for non-clinical support provision. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Misophonia is an increasingly recognized disorder characterized by negative emotional and sensory reactions to specific noises. Although misophonia most often begins in childhood, there has been minimal research on its clinical presentation in youth. This qualitative study explored cognitive behavioral processes that are involved in misophonia and its associated functional impairment in young people and their families. Methods: Focused interviews were conducted with 20 youth with misophonia (ages 10–17) and their parents. Thematic analyses of these interviews using a cognitive behavioral theoretical framework were conducted. Results: A number of themes were identified, which included internalizing and externalizing cognitive behavioral processes at the individual level (e.g., hypervigilance, anticipatory anxiety, escape, automatic negative attributions), secondary emotional and functional consequences (e.g., negative perception of self, guilt, anxiety, depression, emotional exhaustion, concentration difficulties at school), as well as significant impacts to school, social life, and particularly to family life (e.g., conflict/tension, anger and resentment, family accommodation). These themes are integrated in a proposed theoretical model. Discussion: Misophonia is characterized by several transdiagnostic cognitive behavioral processes, including avoidance, maladaptive cognitions, emotional reactivity, and family communication difficulties, as well as significant functional impairment. Developing treatments that target these processes has the potential to help youth overcome misophonia and improve the quality of life of youth and their families. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anxiety is the most prevalent comorbidity among children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), yet little is known about the associated risk factors. Methods: In a heterogenous cohort of children aged 5–18 years old (n = 262, 42% ASD), participants and their parents completed standardized questionnaires to assess anxiety, ASD symptom severity, inattention/hyperactivity, emotional problems, depressive symptoms, parental styles and stress, and demographic factors. Results: An artificial neural network analysis using a self-organizing map, a statistical technique used to cluster large datasets, revealed 3 distinct anxiety profiles: low (n = 114, 5% ASD), moderate (n = 70, 64% ASD) and high (n = 78, 96% ASD) anxiety. A recursive feature elimination analysis revealed that depression and peer problems contributed the most to differences between the anxiety profiles. Difficulties with peers in individuals with ASD who experience anxiety may be related to challenges with social competence and this may heighten depressive symptoms. Conclusion: Findings highlight the importance of assessing depressive symptoms in children and adolescents with ASD who experience anxiety. Identifying anxiety profiles among children and adolescents with ASD may prove beneficial in clinical practice by facilitating the development of tailored interventions that aid in managing anxiety and depressive symptoms. Furthermore, strengthening social communication skills may improve peer relationships and could aid in managing depressive symptoms among children and adolescents with ASD who experience anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to examine the association between parent–child relationships and adolescents' non-cognitive skills, while also investigating the mediating effect of social anxiety and number of friends. A survey was conducted with 773 students, ranging from grade 4 to 9, in five public schools of Guangdong Province of China (49.9% male), with a mean age of 12.20 years old. Latent mediation structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data. The findings revealed that (1) the father–child relationship and mother–child relationship both had a positive influence on grit, innovation, conscientiousness, and hope; (2) social anxiety had a negative effect on adolescent non-cognitive skills including innovation, conscientiousness, and hope; (3) the number of positive friends was found to be positively associated with the development of non-cognitive skills in adolescents, whereas the presence of negative friends correlated negatively with grit but positively with innovation; (4) social anxiety emerged as a significant mediating variable between parent–child relationships and adolescents' non-cognitive skills, including innovation, conscientiousness, and hope; and (5) the mediating effect of the number of positive friends on the relationship between parent–child relationships and grit, innovation, conscientiousness, and hope was also found to be significant. Educational programs and family interventions should take these factors into account, providing a more holistic approach to supporting adolescent growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early adolescents are at high risk for non-suicidal self-injurious behavior (NSSI). Based on the Rejection Sensitivity Model, the Experiential Avoidance Model, and the Affect Regulation Model of Self-Injury, this study aimed to explain how rejection sensitivity was related to NSSI among adolescents by unraveling the mediating role of social anxiety and the moderating role of regulatory emotional self-efficacy (RESE) in this relationship. A three-wave longitudinal investigation with a three-month interval was conducted among 726 adolescents (Mage = 13.47, SD = 0.95; 46.0% girls) from a middle school in North China. The Cross-Lagged Panel Models (RI-CLPMs) were utilized to estimate the associations among the study variables. The results indicated that the incidence rates of NSSI in the three measurements among adolescents were 33.3%, 30.3%, and 24.1%, respectively. Adolescents' rejection sensitivity and NSSI showed a declining trend over time. Furthermore, rejection sensitivity predicted NSSI through the longitudinal mediating effect of social anxiety. RESE played a protective role in adolescents' NSSI, but its moderating effect was not significant. The findings increase our understanding of the association between rejection sensitivity and NSSI in adolescents, and they benefit educators in conducting targeted interventions through improving adolescents' rejection sensitivity and social anxiety to reduce the risk of NSSI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Social anxiety can produce adverse consequences across all levels of symptomology, and research attempting to study its causes and alleviation is critical. Although self-presentation theory offers a potential framework to reduce social anxiety across individual levels of symptomology and various contexts, the current study applied the theory to a novel paradigm in attempts to reduce state social anxiety within the context of a lab study. Specifically, impression efficacy's proposed negative relationship with social anxiety was considered. It was hypothesized that participants in the experimental condition would report decreases in social anxiety indirectly as a function of increased impression efficacy. Methods: Undergraduate participants (N = 125) completed structured interactions with confederates, where the experimental condition encountered a social obstacle and received positive feedback, and the control condition received neutral feedback. A mediation analysis tested if changes in impression efficacy mediated the effects of condition on changes in social anxiety. Results: As hypothesized, changes in impression efficacy significantly predicted changes in social anxiety, and the indirect effect of condition on changes in social anxiety, through changes in impression efficacy, was significant. Discussion: Although present conclusions cannot be generalized to trait social anxiety and more research is needed, results support the potential use of impression efficacy interventions in reducing social anxiety. Considering the prevalence and consequences of social anxiety, this simple and easily implemented intervention could be useful across settings, contexts, and anxiety levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: This study examined self-reported levels of depression, anxiety, and stress and the correlation with social stigma in a sample of sexual minority people in Kosovo. Methods: One hundred and three Kosovo sexual minority people (aged 18 to 50) completed questionnaires about social stigma (HHRDS), depression, stress, and anxiety (DASS-21). Descriptive statistics were calculated, a multivariate ANOVA examined differences between sexual minority people, and the bivariate association between HHRDS and DASS-21 scores was examined. Results: Most participants reported moderate to high levels of depression, anxiety, and stress with positive associations with social stigma. Conclusion: Sexual minority people in Kosovo are experiencing a mental health crisis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social anxiety (SA) is characterized by anxious symptomology and fear during social situations, but recent work suggests that SA may not necessarily be associated with negative interpersonal and intrapersonal outcomes in support contexts. The current research investigates the discrepancies between self‐perceptions, behavior, and physiological responses associated with SA in social support conversations with close friends. Specifically, we examined the associations between SA and positive and negative affect, perceptions of demands and resources, and responsiveness. Additionally, we used the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat to understand the physiological responses associated with SA. Participants (79.9% White, 9.8% Black or African American, 10.3% Multiple races or other; 78.7% Female), totaling 172 undergraduate friend dyads, completed self‐report measures and had physiological responses recorded while they discussed a problem unrelated to the friendship. Trained coders rated responsive behaviors exhibited during the conversation. Results revealed that greater SA was associated with greater negative perceptions of social interactions (greater negative affect, fewer perceived resources, and greater perceived demands). However, cardiovascular reactivity and behavioral responses within the conversation, as well as perceptions of partners' behavior after the conversation, contrasted with these negative perceptions. Indeed, greater SA was associated with greater sympathetic arousal (indicative of greater task engagement), but not with greater challenge or threat, and SA was not associated with perceived partner responsiveness or responsive behaviors. These results add to the growing body of research that suggests people with greater SA show inconsistencies between their conscious appraisals of social situations and their physiological responses. Our research uses the biopsychosocial model of challenge and threat and the intimacy process model to examine key intra‐ and inter‐personal correlates of social anxiety. Combining evidence from a combination of physiological, self‐report, and observational measures, our research suggests that social anxiety may be associated with discrepancies between self‐reports (cognitive and affective) and physiological responses in social support conversations with close friends. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic loneliness and low perceived social support have been recognized as risk factors for both mental and cardiovascular disorders. It has been proposed that their link to psychophysiological problems may involve changes in parasympathetic activity. However, the exact underlying psychopathological mechanisms and the moderating effects of gender are still not thoroughly examined. Thus, the present study investigated associations between perceived social functioning and resting vagal tone in the context of potential cognitive and subclinical mediators and gender differences. Three hundred twenty‐five young adults (aged 18–35, 180 women) underwent an electrocardiogram measurement of 6‐minute resting heart rate variability (HRV). They also completed questionnaires assessing loneliness, perceived social support, social cognitive biases, depressive and social anxiety symptoms, and general mental health. In men, HRV was significantly and negatively associated with poorer perceived social functioning, depressive symptoms, and self‐reported social cognitive biases, while in women, there was a quadratic link between HRV and depressive symptoms and HRV and general mental health. Moderated mediation analysis revealed that depressive symptoms fully mediated the relationship between perceived social functioning and HRV in men. The results suggest that decreased resting vagal tone in lonely individuals is linked to depressive symptomatology rather than to specific social cognitive biases and that this association is significant only in men. While previous work on the relationship between loneliness and parasympathetic activity has yielded mixed results, the present study provides evidence for an association between reduced resting vagal tone, loneliness, and perceived social support. Importantly, we showed that this association was mostly related to subclinical depressive symptoms and was only observed in men, which may help better understand individual differences related to maladaptive physiological processes in lonely individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article "Re-Writing Pandemic Histories: Introduction" delves into the evolving study of pandemics, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. It emphasizes the importance of global perspectives and diverse methodologies in understanding epidemic and pandemic histories. The text explores the racialization of risk, the global impact of pandemics, and the need for nuanced approaches to studying disease phenomena. By incorporating various disciplines and narratives, historians aim to advance public health equity and memory while addressing current global health challenges. [Extracted from the article]

Aim: Schizophrenia is a leading cause of disability worldwide; early detection and intervention are critical. Early in their illness, individuals at clinical high‐risk (CHR) for psychosis have subthreshold psychotic symptoms that are often derogatory and self‐directed. We hypothesized that CHR participants with negative self‐reference (NSR) as a component of subthreshold psychosis would also have higher levels of social anxiety and depression, lower self‐esteem and lower social/role/global functioning as compared with CHR participants without NSR. Methods: One hundred and sixty‐eight participants from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) funded Regroup Cognitive Behavioural Social Skills Training (CBSST) study were included. Clinical vignettes that included the Scale of Psychosis‐Risk Symptoms were coded categorically to indicate whether NSR was present. t‐tests were used to determine the association between NSR, symptom, and functional measures. Results: Participants with NSR demonstrated significantly more social interaction anxiety (p <.001), negative beliefs about the self (p ≤.001), defeatist beliefs (p <.05), depressive symptoms (p <.05) and positive symptoms (p <.005). There were no significant differences in social self‐efficacy, positive or negative beliefs about others, positive beliefs about the self or psychosocial functioning between the two groups. Conclusions: Clinically significant differences were found between CHR participants with and without NSR, suggesting that this may be a useful factor to identify and address. Follow‐up studies are needed to determine whether NSR responds to CBSST and whether or not its resolution would be associated with improvement in other symptom domains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adolescents exposed to childhood trauma are at an elevated risk for social anxiety. However, the physiological mechanisms linking childhood trauma and adolescents' social anxiety remain poorly understood. This study examined whether cardiovascular reactivity to acute social stress was a mechanism underlying this association. Participants were Chinese adolescents (N = 172; Mage = 12.95). They first reported their childhood trauma and social anxiety using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale. They then participated in a social stress task, during which their cardiovascular data [heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP)] were monitored. The results showed that high levels of childhood trauma were associated with blunted HR, SBP, and DBP reactivity, which in turn were associated with high levels of social anxiety. Mediation analysis indicated that childhood trauma was indirectly associated with social anxiety via blunted cardiovascular reactivity. The findings suggest that blunted cardiovascular reactivity may serve as a physiological pathway linking childhood trauma and adolescents' social anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Cognitive behaviour therapy based on the Clark and Wells (1995) model is a first-line treatment for neurotypical people seeking support for social anxiety. While autistic people frequently report high social anxiety, it is unclear how appropriate the model is for this population. Methods: Over 300 autistic and non-autistic adults completed an online survey measuring key variables of the Clark and Wells model (socially-related negative thoughts, safety behaviours, self-focused attention). Using multiple regression and structural equation modelling, we assessed whether these variables accounted for the link between autism and social fears. Results: In multiple regression, autistic people experienced greater social fears than expected based on Clark and Wells variables, and safety behaviours were less predictive of social fears in autistic people. In structural equation modelling, Clark and Wells variables only mediated half the link between autistic traits and social fears. In exploratory analysis, we found that distress relating to uncertainty was an additional variable that needed to be taken into consideration in the relationship between autistic traits and social fears. Conclusion: The Clark and Wells variables were relevant in autism, but did not fully explain elevated social fears in autistic people, which suggests that other factors are also important in accounting for social anxiety in autistic people. This means that therapy informed by the model may not be optimal for autistic people. We recommend further research developing adapted therapy for social anxiety in autistic people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social camouflaging in autism involves hiding social differences and autistic traits to fit in with neurotypical settings and is associated with poorer mental health in both autistic adolescents and adults. This study explored the association between self-reported social camouflaging behaviours and adolescents' self-report of generalised anxiety disorder and depressive symptoms compared with caregiver reports. A clinical sample of 43 autistic and 39 non-autistic adolescents (14–19 years), without intellectual disability and matched on social anxiety, and their primary caregiver completed questionnaires reporting the young person's autistic traits, generalised anxiety disorder and depression symptoms. Using response surface analysis, congruence between adolescent and caregiver rated autistic traits, generalised anxiety disorder and depression symptoms were not associated with greater camouflaging scores. Response surface analysis parameters showed that camouflaging was greater when both adolescent and caregivers rated high levels of autistic traits and generalised anxiety disorder symptoms, and when adolescents exceeded caregiver ratings on autistic traits, generalised anxiety disorder and depression symptoms. Adolescents who experience greater anxiety and autistic traits may engage in more (though less effective) social camouflaging behaviours, which in turn may contribute towards poorer mental health outcomes. Clinicians may benefit from collaboratively creating with adolescents a person-centred formulation that considers the associations between autistic traits and mental health outcomes. Social camouflaging or masking refers to strategies autistic individuals adopt to hide their autism persona when trying to fit in. It is unclear whether camouflaging is only applicable to social differences unique to autism, or more generally to any types of social difference, such as experiences of mental health difficulties. We asked 43 autistic and 39 non-autistic adolescents (aged 14–19 years, all of whom showed similarly high levels of social anxiety) and their primary caregivers to complete questionnaires about their mental health (anxiety and depression) and autistic traits, and adolescents self-reported camouflaging behaviours. We wondered if camouflaging may be used to hide mental health difficulties reported by young people and affect caregiver report on symptom severity. We found that adolescents who self-reported greater levels of autistic traits, anxiety and depression symptoms compared with their caregivers reported greater camouflaging. Adolescents who agreed on having high levels of autistic traits and anxiety symptoms with their caregivers reported greater camouflaging behaviours. We discuss how having high levels of autistic traits and anxiety may increase adolescents' camouflaging behaviours to hide social differences, which may contribute towards poor mental health outcomes. We think it is important to talk with adolescents about how camouflaging social and mental health difference can have negative impacts for mental health as well as possible positive social gains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies of music-based interventions have found that engagement in participatory music has positive effects. However, taking part in music activities in everyday life may have different effects. In this study we analyzed data collected from 902 university students in Beijing, China, and examined the mediating effects of social self-efficacy, resilience, and social support in the association of participatory music engagement with social anxiety. We found that participatory music engagement was negatively associated with social anxiety, and that social self-efficacy, resilience, and social support mediated this association. This study extends understanding of the effects of participatory music engagement among university students. Implications for theory and practice are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the developmental trajectory of key cognitive, social, and emotional features in girls with fragile X syndrome (FXS). METHODS: This longitudinal, parallel cohort study collected data between January 2018 and December 2022. Participants were evaluated 3 times with ~12-18 months between visits. Participants included 65 girls with FXS, 6 to 16 years, and 52 age- and developmentallymatched girls without FXS. Participants' scores from direct assessment and caregiver report evaluated 3 cognitive domains (verbal abilities, nonverbal abilities, executive function) and 4 social--emotional domains (depression, general anxiety, social behavior, and social anxiety). RESULTS: Participants included 117 girls (mean [M] [SD] age at study entry: FXS M = 10.59 [3.00]; comparison M = 10.45 [2.40])). Omnibus tests showed 4 domains with significant group differences: Verbal (P < .0001, eg, Differential Abilities Scale-II(DAS-II), Picture Vocabulary (-6.25 [1.87])), nonverbal (P < .0001, eg, Kaufman Test of Educational Achievement, Third Edition, Brief Form, Math (-8.56 [2.90])), executive function (P < .0001, eg, NIH Toolbox List Sorting (-6.26 [1.48])), and social anxiety (P < .03, eg, Anxiety, Depression, and Mood Scale (ADAMS) Social Avoidance (1.50 [0.65])). Three domains had significant group by age interaction: Verbal (P < .04, eg, DAS-II, Word Definitions (-1.33 [0.55])), social behavior (P < .01, eg, Social Responsiveness Scale-2 Social Communication (1.57 [0.51])), and social anxiety (P < .01, eg, ADAMS Social Avoidance (0.46 [0.19])). CONCLUSIONS: These findings support the development of early, disorder specific interventions for girls with FXS targeting verbal and nonverbal skills, executive function, social behavior, and social anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dysfunctional workplace behavior (DWB) is a prevalent phenomenon in schools, which has adverse consequences for teachers and students. In addition to the known negative implications, little is known about the mechanism through which DWB functions. The purpose of this study was to explore the effects of DWB on teacher emotional exhaustion (EE) and understand whether perceived social support (PSS) moderates the mediating effect that anxiety has on the relationship between DWB and EE. A battery of measurement tools was administered to 249 English as a foreign language (EFL) teachers in Iran. Moderated mediation regressions were used to analyze survey data. Results indicated that anxiety mediated the relationship between DWB and EE. Additionally, it was found that PSS moderated the direct relationship between DWB and anxiety; and the indirect relationship between DWB and EE. DWB was more strongly associated with an increased incidence of anxiety and EE in teachers with low levels of PSS. Results highlight the need to understand the intervening factors and sources of EE to actively identify, assess, and control teachers' behavioral and mental health risk factors. Given the significant role of emotions in teacher well-being, it is imperative to develop effective interventions (e.g., promoting PSS and positive workplace behaviors) in order to optimize teachers' emotional and behavioral health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Parents' fear of negative evaluation (FNE), fear of negative child evaluation (FNCE; parents' fear that their child is evaluated negatively by others), and self- and child-referent negative interpretation biases have been proposed to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. In this cross-sectional study, we tested whether parents' self-reported FNE and self-referent interpretation bias, as well as their FNCE and child-referent interpretation bias, statistically mediated the relationship between parent social anxiety and parent-reported child social anxiety. Methods: A total of 179 parents of 13–16-year-old adolescents completed questionnaires concerning own social anxiety, their FNE, and FNCE and their child's social anxiety. Parents' self- and child-referent interpretation biases were measured using scenario completion and memory recognition tasks. Results: Parents' FNCE partially statistically mediated the relationship between parent and child social anxiety. Parents' FNE and their self- and child-referent interpretation biases did, however, not statistically mediate this relationship. Conclusions: Parents' FNCE does, but their FNE and self- and child-referent interpretation biases do not seem to play a role in the intergenerational transmission of social anxiety. Hence, parents' FNCE might be a promising target for clinical practice while designing therapies and interventions concerning child social anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Interpretation bias (IB), pre- and post-event rumination are related to adolescent social anxiety (SA). However, although postulated theoretically, the mediating role of pre- and post-event rumination between IB and SA has not been examined in adolescents. In addition, post-event rumination was found to differ in varying social situations (e.g., speech vs. interaction). Therefore, by establishing social tasks, the current research investigated whether: (i) pre- and post-event rumination mediated the association between IB and SA among adolescents, and (ii) this mediation was moderated by situational type. Methods: In Study 1, 31 socially anxious adolescents and 37 controls were recruited and then primed with a speech task. In Study 2, 61 socially anxious adolescents were randomly assigned to a speech (n = 31) or interaction (n = 30) task. In both studies, baseline IB and SA, state pre-event rumination before starting the social task, post-event rumination and SA after social task were measured. Results: IB affected adolescents' SA via pre- and post-event rumination; however, the mediation effect was found only in the speech task. Conclusions: Findings provide potential approaches for reducing adolescent SA by targeting IB and rumination and showed the situational adaptability of the cognitive model of social anxiety disorder among adolescents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

'Phubbing' refers to the phenomenon where people ignore social partners in a face-to-face situation by focusing on their phones. Narcissism, a personality trait characterised by entitled self-importance, has strong influences on interpersonal relationships. As the mechanism through which narcissism may affect the development of phubbing is unclear and most relevant studies have been conducted in Western countries, we proposed and empirically tested a theoretical model that links narcissism to phubbing in China. Chinese participants (N = 322; 181 women and 141 men) completed a survey in the Chinese language. Path analyses largely confirmed the proposed hypothetical model. The main findings showed that vulnerable narcissism directly predicted more phubbing behaviour and also indirectly via increased social anxiety, preference for online social interaction (POSI), social media use (SMU) for mood regulation, and compulsive SMU. Also, grandiose narcissism indirectly predicted less phubbing behaviour via reduced social anxiety, POSI, SMU for mood regulation, and compulsive SMU. The findings, therefore, elucidate the mechanisms by which the two subtypes of narcissism differentially predispose people to phubbing in China, with vulnerable narcissism predisposing people to more phubbing and grandiose narcissism to less phubbing. Implications and limitations of the study are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although parental psychological control has been well-documented as a significant predictor of social anxiety among adolescents, few studies examine how changes in parental psychological control and adolescent social anxiety are reciprocally related at the within-person level, especially in Chinese culture. This longitudinal study examined reciprocal relations between parental psychological control and social anxiety, and the potential mediating role of self-concept clarity, by disentangling between- and within-person effects. A total of 4731 students (44.9% girls; Mage = 10.91 years, SD = 0.72) participated in a four-wave longitudinal study with 6-month intervals. Results from random intercept cross-lagged panel modeling indicated that parental psychological control directly predicted social anxiety, and vice versa. Parental psychological control indirectly predicted social anxiety via self-concept clarity, and social anxiety also indirectly predicted parental psychological control via self-concept clarity. These findings reveal a vicious cycle of mutual influence between parental psychological control and adolescent social anxiety in Chinese youth, and highlight the crucial role of self-concept clarity in the interplay between parenting and adolescent social functioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the United States, weight-based peer victimization (herein "bullying") is prevalent and has been shown to have short- and long-term detrimental effects on adolescents' mental health. We utilized secondary data analysis to explore associations between adolescents' weight-based bullying, internalizing and externalizing symptoms, and parental involvement. Moderated mediation models found depressive symptoms mediated the relation between weight-based bullying and both callousness and social anxiety symptoms, but only in the context of low parent involvement. This study highlights parental involvement as a potential protective factor and demonstrates the need for mental health screening and intervention for adolescents who experience weight-based bullying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of rhinoplasty is to make the patient happier with their nose. The patient's perception plays a substantial role in their outcome satisfaction. Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is an obsessive-compulsive disorder concerning body image, which negatively distorts the patient's perception, rendering them dissatisfied with the outcome even if the results are close to the defined objectives. In this paper, we present a protocol with a two-specialist approach (rhinoplasty surgeon and a psychiatrist) to standardize BDD diagnosis using the DSM-5 criteria. The patients deemed suitable for cosmetic rhinoplasty by the rhinoplasty surgeon's first consultation were sent for Mandatory Psychiatric Evaluation (MPE) for further consultation and second opinion. MPE was employed with a semi-structured clinical interview by a psychiatrist incorporating the Cosmetic Procedure Screening Questionnaire and Appearance Anxiety Inventory. From 2010 to 2023, 1,602 patients attended our practice seeking cosmetic rhinoplasty, out of which, 892 were sent for MPE to the same psychiatrist. The MPE identified 2.5% (22/892) patients as having mild BDD; out of which, 15 were considered suitable for surgical intervention and underwent successful rhinoplasty (follow up: 1–10 years, M = 4.33 years). Although BDD is considered a contraindication in rhinoplasty, our experience shows that borderline and mild BDD can be offered surgery with good insight and support system. Moderate to severe BDD in our practice was filtered out at the first stage and was not offered surgical intervention. BDD among rhinoplasty aspirants is not as prevalent as previously reported. Standardized diagnostic protocols and studying the severity of BDD when present has clarified management of BDD in rhinoplasty aspirants in our practice. MPE is not easy to incorporate in every rhinoplasty practice, but we aim to present guidelines arising from our ongoing experience to help management of BDD in rhinoplasty. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safety behaviors, both positive (maladaptive coping behavior) and negative (avoidance behavior), are used by people with paranoid delusions to avoid perceived threats. Safety behaviors contribute to the persistence of paranoid delusions by preventing disconfirmation of threat beliefs and may influence other psychiatric symptoms. This study investigated how changes in safety behaviors are related to changes in paranoid ideation, social anxiety, depression, cognitive biases and self-esteem over time. This study included 116 patients diagnosed with a psychotic disorder (DSM-IV) and at least moderate levels of paranoid ideations (GTPS >40).The data were collected as part of a multi-center randomized controlled trial where patients were randomized to VR-CBT (n = 58) or treatment as usual (TAU; n = 58). Assessments were completed at baseline (T0), after three months (T3) and after six months (T6). For all variables, change scores between T0 and T3 and T3 and T6 were calculated and Pearson correlations between change scores were computed. A decrease in total safety behavior was related to diminished paranoid ideation, social anxiety, and depression. No significant temporal associations were found between changes in safety behavior and changes in cognitive biases and self-esteem. Similar but less robust results were found for respectively negative safety behavior and positive safety behavior. Dropping safety behavior can be specifically targeted in behavioral interventions. Whereas there appears to be a relation with reduction in anxiety, paranoia, and depressive symptoms, changes in safety behavior do not seem to align with changes in cognitive thinking processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive models state that social anxiety (SA) involves biased cognitive processing that impacts what is learned and remembered within social situations, leading to the maintenance of SA. Neuroscience work links SA to enhanced error monitoring, reflected in error-related neural responses arising from mediofrontal cortex (MFC). Yet, the role of error monitoring in SA remains unclear, as it is unknown whether error monitoring can drive changes in memory, biasing what is learned or remembered about social situations. Motivated by the longer-term goal of identifying mechanisms implicated in SA, in the current study we developed and validated a novel paradigm for probing the role of error-related MFC theta oscillations (associated with error monitoring) and incidental memory biases in SA. Electroencephalography (EEG) data were collected while participants completed a novel Face-Flanker task, involving presentation of task-unrelated, trial-unique faces behind target/flanker arrows on each trial. A subsequent incidental memory assessment evaluated memory biases for error events. Severity of SA symptoms were associated with greater error-related theta synchrony over MFC, as well as between MFC and sensory cortex. Social anxiety also was positively associated with incidental memory biases for error events. Moreover, greater error-related MFC-sensory theta synchrony during the Face-Flanker predicted subsequent incidental memory biases for error events. Collectively, the results demonstrate the potential of a novel paradigm to elucidate mechanisms underlying relations between error monitoring and SA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social touch has a vital role in human development and psychological well-being. However, there is a lack of measures assessing individual differences in social touch experiences and attitudes, especially under Eastern cultures. This study developed the Social Touch Experiences and Attitudes Questionnaire – Chinese version (STEAQ-C) and examined its psychometric properties with healthy young Chinese adults. In Study 1, an item pool was generated and principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify the factor structure of the STEAQ. Study 2 recruited an independent sample and examined its reliability and validity. Network analysis further explored the interrelations between social touch and a variety of subclinical traits and symptoms. PCA identified four factors of the STEAQ-C, relating to childhood touch experiences, current touch with intimate partners, with family and friends, and with unfamiliar people. Study 2 confirmed the four-factor structure and upheld its internal consistency and stability. Positive attitudes towards and greater experiences of social touch were negatively correlated with sensory over-responsiveness and sensory hyposensitivity, as well as childhood trauma particularly emotional neglect, supporting the convergent validity. Evidence of criterion-related validity was accrued via its concurrent and predictive associations with secure attachment style, higher levels of social competence, and lower levels of social anxiety. Network analysis highlighted altered perception of social touch may be a shared feature for psychiatric conditions with social dysfunctions (e.g., autism, social anxiety and negative schizotypy). The newly-developed STEAQ-C may be a timely tool in assessing social touch experiences and attitudes under Eastern cultures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fewer studies have examined the relationship between air pollution and depressive or anxiety symptoms in rural residents. Social economic status (SES), as an important indicator of the current state of socioeconomic development, we know little about how it modifies the relationship between air pollution and symptoms of depression or anxiety. The patient health questionnaire (PHQ-2) and generalized anxiety scale (GAD-2) were used to learn about the prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms, the social economic status of the participants was categorized into two levels: lower and higher, and a binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the relationship between air pollution and residents' symptoms of depression or anxiety. A total of 10,670 adults were enrolled in this study, of which a total of 1292 participants suffered from depressive symptoms and 860 suffered from anxiety symptoms. Short-term exposure to PM 2.5 and O 3 , singly or in combination, may be associated with the onset of depression symptoms, and there was a significant interaction between SES and exposure to PM 2.5 or O 3. Residents of areas with higher SES may have a lower risk of suffering from anxiety symptoms after O 3 exposure compared to participants living in lower SES. The study was a cross-sectional study, which may have lowered the quality level of the evidence. Short-term PM 2.5 and O 3 exposure may be associated with an increased prevalence risk of depressive symptoms. Higher levels of SES may reduce the adverse effects of air pollution on depressive or anxiety symptoms. • Short-term PM 2.5 and O 3 exposure was associated with an increased risk of depression. • There was a significant interaction between SES and exposure to PM 2.5 or O 3. • Higher SES may reduce the adverse effects of air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]