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Are Positive Beliefs about Post-Event Processing Related to Social Anxiety?

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  25 March 2013

Brian Fisak Jr.  and
Amanda N. Hammond
Brian Fisak Jr.*
Affiliation:
University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
Amanda N. Hammond
Affiliation:
University of North Florida, Jacksonville, Florida, USA
*
Address for correspondence: Brian Fisak, Jr., Department of Psychology, University of North Florida, 1 UNF Drive, Jacksonville, FL, 32225, USA. Email: b.fisak@unf.edu
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Abstract

Although positive metacognitive beliefs have been found to be associated with symptoms of depression and generalised anxiety disorder, surprisingly few studies have focused on the degree to which positive metacognitive beliefs are associated to social phobia symptoms. In response to this limitation, the primary goal of the current study was the development and validation of the Positive Beliefs about Post-Event Processing Questionnaire (PB-PEPQ). It was anticipated that the PB-PEPQ would exhibit adequate psychometric properties. Based on a non-referred sample of 300 undergraduate students, the PB-PEPQ was found to be positively associated with measures of post-event processing and social anxiety symptoms. Further, support was found for the incremental validity of the PB-PEPQ, as the measure predicted variance in social phobia symptoms after controlling for other metacognitive variables, including positive beliefs about worry and positive beliefs about rumination. Overall, the findings may have implications for cognitive models of social phobia. Further, the current findings have possible treatment implications, as individuals with social phobia may benefit from interventions focused on the identification and modification of positive metacognitive beliefs.

Keywords

social phobiasocial anxietymetacognitive beliefspositive beliefspost-event processing
Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 30 , Issue 1 , April 2013 , pp. 36 - 47
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2013

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