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Clinical Implications of Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretative Biases in Social Anxiety: An Integrative Literature Review

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Abstract

Cognitive theories of social anxiety indicate that negative cognitive biases play a key role in causing and maintaining social anxiety. On the basis of these cognitive theories, laboratory-based research has shown that individuals with social anxiety exhibit negative interpretation biases of ambiguous social situations. Cognitive Bias Modification for interpretative biases (CBM-I) has emerged from this basic science research to modify negative interpretative biases in social anxiety and reduce emotional vulnerability and social anxiety symptoms. However, it is not yet clear if modifying interpretation biases via CBM will have any enduring effect on social anxiety symptoms or improve social functioning. The aim of this paper is to review the relevant literature on interpretation biases in social anxiety and discuss important implications of CBM-I method for clinical practice and research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology, Department of Psychological Sciences, Norwich Medical School, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    Sirous Mobini, Shirley Reynolds & Bundy Mackintosh

  2. School of Psychology, University of Newcastle, Callaghan, NSW 2308, Australia

    Sirous Mobini

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  1. Sirous Mobini
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  2. Shirley Reynolds
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  3. Bundy Mackintosh
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Correspondence to Sirous Mobini.

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Mobini, S., Reynolds, S. & Mackintosh, B. Clinical Implications of Cognitive Bias Modification for Interpretative Biases in Social Anxiety: An Integrative Literature Review. Cogn Ther Res 37, 173–182 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-012-9445-8

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