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Shifting the Focus of One's Attention Mediates Improvement in Cognitive Therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 August 2013

Ewa Mörtberg ,
Asle Hoffart ,
Benjamin Boecking  and
David M. Clark
Ewa Mörtberg*
Affiliation:
Stockholm University, and Karolinska Institute, Sweden
Asle Hoffart
Affiliation:
Research Institute Modum Bad, and University of Oslo, Norway
Benjamin Boecking
Affiliation:
NIHR Biomedical Research Centre for Mental Health, South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust and Institute of Psychiatry, Kings College London, UK
David M. Clark
Affiliation:
University of Oxford, UK
*
Reprint requests to Ewa Mörtberg, Stockholm University, Department of Psychology, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden. E-mail: ewa.mortberg@psychology.su.se
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Abstract

Background: Cognitive therapy is an effective treatment for social anxiety disorder but little is known about the mechanisms by which the treatment achieves its effects. Aims: This study investigated the potential role of self-focused attention and social phobia related negative automatic thoughts as mediators of clinical improvement. Method: Twenty-nine patients with social phobia received individual cognitive therapy (ICT) in a randomized controlled trial. Weekly process and outcome measures were analysed using multilevel mediation models. Results: Change from self-focused to externally focused attention mediated improvements in social anxiety one week later. In contrast, change in frequency of, or belief in, negative social phobia related negative automatic thoughts did not predict social anxiety one week later. Conclusions: Change in self-focused attention mediate therapeutic improvement in ICT. Therapists should therefore target self-focused attention.

Keywords

Social phobiacognitive therapyattentionbeliefsindividual CBT
Type
Research Article
Information
Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy , Volume 43 , Issue 1 , January 2015 , pp. 63 - 73
Copyright
Copyright © British Association for Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapies 2013 

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