Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

The Predictors and Contents of Post-Event Processing in Social Anxiety

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Cognitive Therapy and Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The present study investigated the factors that influence the likelihood that individuals engage in post-event processing (PEP)—the act of engaging in a detailed, negative, and self-focused review following social situations. This study also examined the cognitive contents of PEP in a nonclinical sample (N = 40). Participants undertook both a 5-min speech and conversation and then completed measures assessing cognitions, behaviours, and physiological processes that occurred during each task. Twenty-four hours later, PEP was measured in relation to both tasks. Results showed firstly that PEP was greater following the speech than the conversation. Secondly, negative assumptions were found to be a unique predictor of PEP over and above depression, trait anxiety, and other cognitive-behavioural variables. Finally, higher levels of social anxiety were associated with experiencing more negative self-perceptions and regret-based cognitions during PEP. Current findings underscore the importance of targeting negative assumptions, self-related cognitions, and regret-based thoughts in therapy.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Abbott, M. J., & Rapee, R. M. (2004). Post-event rumination and negative self-appraisal in social phobia before and after treatment. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 113, 136–144.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Alden, L. E., Bieling, P. J., & Meleshko, K. G. A. (1995). An interpersonal comparison of depression and social anxiety. In K. D. Craig & K. S. Dobson (Eds.), Anxiety and depression in adults and children (pp. 57–81). Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications.

    Google Scholar 

  • Alden, L. E., Bieling, P. J., & Wallace, S. T. (1994). Perfectionism in an interpersonal context: A self-regulation analysis of dysphoria and social anxiety. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 18, 297–316.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alden, L. E., & Wallace, S. T. (1995). Social phobia and social appraisal in successful and unsuccessful social interactions. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 33, 497–505.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, fourth edition, text revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Anderson, E. R., & Hope, D. A. (2009). The relationship among social phobia, objective and perceived physiological reactivity, and anxiety sensitivity in an adolescent population. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23, 18–26.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Arntz, A., Rauner, M., & van den Hout, M. (1995). “If I feel anxious, there must be danger”: Ex-consequentia reasoning in inferring danger in anxiety disorders. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 8, 917–925.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beazley, M. B., Glass, C. R., Chambless, D. L., & Arnkoff, D. B. (2001). Cognitive self-statements in social phobia: A comparison across three types of social situations. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 25, 781–799.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., Steer, R. A., & Brown, G. K. (1996). Manual for beck depression inventory-II. San Antonio, TX: Psychological Corporation.

    Google Scholar 

  • Becker, C., Namour, N., Zayfert, C., & Hegel, M. T. (2001). Specificity of the social interaction self-statement test in social phobia. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 25, 227–233.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Biedel, D. C., Turner, S. M., & Dancu, C. V. (1985). Physiological, cognitive, and behavioral aspects of social anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 23, 109–117.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bogels, S. M., & Lamers, C. T. J. (2002). The causal role of self-awareness in blushing-anxious, socially anxious, and social phobics individuals. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 40, 1367–1384.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown, E. J., Turovsky, J., Heimberg, R. G., Juster, H. R., Brown, T., & Barlow, D. H. (1997). Validation of the social interaction anxiety scale and the social phobia scale across the anxiety disorders. Psychological Assessment, 9, 21–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brozovich, F. H., & Heimberg, R. G. (2008). An analysis of post-event processing in social anxiety disorder. Clinical Psychology Review, 28, 891–903.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cacioppo, J. T., Glass, C. R., & Merluzzi, T. V. (1979). Self-statements and self-evaluations: A cognitive-response analysis of heterosocial anxiety. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 3, 249–262.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Clark, D. M. (2001). A cognitive perspective on social phobia. In W. R. Crozier & L. E. Alden (Eds.), International handbook of social anxiety (pp. 405–430). Chichester, UK: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Clark, D. M., & Wells, A. (1995). A cognitive model of social phobia. In R. Heimberg, M. Liebowitz, D. A. Hope, & F. R. Schneier (Eds.), Social phobia: Diagnosis, assessment and treatment (pp. 69–93). New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cohen, J. (1988). Statistical power analysis for the behavioral sciences (2nd ed.). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cox, B. J., Rector, N. A., Bagby, M., Swinson, R. P., Levitt, A. J., & Joffe, R. T. (2000). Is self-criticism unique for depression? A comparison with social phobia. Journal of Affective Disorders, 57, 223–228.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Crowne, D. P., & Marlowe, D. (1964). The approval motive. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Daly, J. A., Vengelisti, A. L., & Lawrence, S. G. (1989). Self-focused attention and public speaking anxiety. Personality and Individual Differences, 10, 903–913.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Dannahy, L., & Stopa, L. (2007). Post-event processing in social anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 1207–1219.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Dodge, C. S., Hope, D. A., & Heimberg, R. G. (1988). Evaluation of the social interaction self-statement test with a social phobic population. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 12, 211–222.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Edwards, S. L., Rapee, R. M., & Franklin, J. (2003). Postevent rumination and recall bias for a social performance event in high and low socially anxious individuals. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 27, 603–617.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fehm, L., Hoyer, J., Schneider, G., Lindemann, C., & Klussman, U. (2008). Assessing post-event processing after social situations: A measure based on the cognitive model for social phobia. Anxiety, Stress, and Coping, 21, 129–142.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Fehm, L., Schneider, G., & Hoyer, J. (2007). Is post-event processing specific for social anxiety? Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 38, 11–22.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Foa, E. B., Franklin, M. E., Perry, K. J., & Herbert, J. D. (1996). Cognitive biases in generalized social phobia. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 433–439.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gilboa-Schechtman, E., Franklin, M. E., & Foa, E. B. (2000). Anticipated reactions to social events: Differences among individuals with generalized social phobia, obsessive compulsive disorder, and nonanxious controls. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 24, 731–746.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glass, C. R., & Furlong, M. (1990). Cognitive assessment of social anxiety: Affective and behavioral correlates. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 14, 365–384.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Glass, C. R., Merluzzi, T. V., Biever, J. L., & Larsen, K. H. (1982). Cognitive assessment of social anxiety: Development and validation of a self-statement questionnaire. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 6, 37–55.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Heimberg, R. G., Mueller, G. P., Holt, C. S., Hope, D. A., & Liebowitz, M. R. (1992). Assessment of anxiety in social interaction and being observed by others: The social interaction anxiety scale and the social phobia scale. Behavior Therapy, 23, 53–73.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hirsch, C. R., Clark, D. M., Mathews, A., & Williams, R. (2003). Self-images play a causal role in social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 41, 909–921.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, S. G. (2000). Self-focused attention before and after treatment of social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 717–725.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hoffman, S. G., Moscovitch, D. A., Kim, H. J., & Taylor, A. N. (2004). Changes in self-perception during treatment of social phobia. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 72, 588–596.

    Google Scholar 

  • Kocovski, N. L., Endler, N. S., Rector, N. A., & Flett, G. L. (2005). Ruminative coping and post-event processing in social anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 971–984.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kocovski, N. L., & Rector, N. A. (2007). Predictors of post-event rumination relate to social anxiety. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 36, 112–122.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Lovibond, S. H., & Lovibond, P. F. (1995). Manual for the depression anxiety stress scales. Sydney: The Psychology Foundation of Australia.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lundh, L. G., & Sperling, M. (2002). Social anxiety and the post-event processing socially distressing events. Cognitive Behaviour Therapy, 31, 129–134.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mansell, W., & Clark, D. M. (1999). How do I appear to others? Social anxiety and processing of the observable self. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 37, 419–434.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mathews, A., & MacLeod, C. (1994). Cognitive approaches to emotion and emotional disorders. Annual Review of Psychology, 45, 25–50.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mattick, R. P., & Clarke, J. C. (1998). Development and validation of measures of social phobia scrutiny fear and social interaction anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 36, 243–257.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mattick, R. P., Peters, L., & Clarke, J. C. (1989). Exposure and cognitive restructuring for social phobia: A controlled study. Behaviour Therapy, 20, 3–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McEvoy, P. M., & Kingsep, P. (2006). The post-event processing questionnaire in a clinical sample with social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 1689–1697.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McManus, F., Clark, D. M., Grey, N., Wild, J., Hirsch, C., Fennell, M., et al. (2009). A demonstration of the efficacy of two of the components of cognitive therapy for social phobia. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 23, 496–503.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McManus, F., Clark, D. M., & Hackmann, A. (2000). Specificity of cognitive biases in social phobia and their role in recovery. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 28, 201–209.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McManus, F., Sacadura, C., & Clark, D. M. (2008). Why social anxiety persists: An experimental investigation of the role of safety behaviours as a maintaining factor. Journal of Behaviour Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 39, 147–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mellings, T. M. B., & Alden, L. E. (2000). Cognitive processes in social anxiety: the effects of self-focus, rumination and anticipatory processing. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 243–257.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mor, N., & Winquist, J. (2002). Self-focused attention and negative affect: A meta-analysis. Psychological Bulletin, 128, 638–662.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perini, S. J., Abbott, M. A., & Rapee, R. M. (2006). Perception of performance as a mediator in the relationship between social anxiety and negative post-event rumination. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 30, 645–659.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Perowne, S., & Mansell, W. (2002). Social anxiety, self-focused attention, and the discrimination of negative, neutral, and positive audience members by their non-verbal behaviours. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 30, 11–23.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rachman, S., Gruter-Andrew, J., & Shafran, R. (2000). Post-event processing in social anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 611–617.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Spielberger, C. D., Goursuch, R. L., & Lushene, R. E. (1970). Manual for the state-trait anxiety inventory—Form X. Palo Alto, CA: Consulting Psychologists Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Spurr, J. M., & Stopa, L. (2002). Self-focused attention in social phobia and social anxiety. Clinical Psychology Review, 22, 947–975.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stopa, L. C., & Clark, D. M. (1993). Cognitive processes in social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 31, 255–267.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stopa, L. C., & Clark, D. M. (2000). Social phobia and interpretation of social events. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 38, 273–283.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stopa, L., & Clark, D. M. (2001). Social phobia: Comments on the viability and validity of an analogue research strategy and British norms for the fear of negative evaluation questionnaire. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 29, 423–430.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Turk, C. L., Heimberg, R. G., & Magee, L. (2008). Social anxiety disorder. In D. H. Barlow (Ed.), Clinical handbook of psychological disorders: A step-by-step treatment manual (pp. 123–163). New York: Guildford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Voncken, M. J., & Bogels, S. M. (2008). Social performance deficits in social anxiety disorder: Reality during conversation and biased perception during speech. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22, 1384–1392.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, S. T., & Alden, L. E. (1991). A comparison of social standards and perceived ability in anxious and nonanxious men. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 15, 237–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, S. T., & Alden, L. E. (1995). Social anxiety and standard setting following social success or failure. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 19, 613–631.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wallace, S. T., & Alden, L. E. (1997). Social phobia and positive social events: The price of success. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 106, 416–424.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Watson, D., & Friend, R. (1969). Measurement of social-evaluative anxiety. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 33, 448–457.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wells, A., Clark, D. M., Salkovskis, P., Ludgate, J., Hackmann, A., & Gelder, M. (1995). Social Phobia: The role of in-situation safety behaviors in maintaining anxiety and negative beliefs. Behavior Therapy, 26, 153–161.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wells, A., & Papageorgiou, C. (1995). Social phobia: Effects of external attention on anxiety, negative beliefs, and perspective taking. Behavior Therapy, 29, 357–370.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wells, A., & Papageorgiou, C. (2001). Social phobic interoception: Effects of bodily information on anxiety, beliefs, and self-processing. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 39, 1–11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Wells, A., Stopa, L., & Clark, D. M. (1993). Social cognition questionnaire. Unpublished, Department of Psychiatry, University of Oxford, Warnerford Hospital, Oxford, UK.

  • Wilson, J. K., & Rapee, R. M. (2005a). Interpretive biases in social phobia: Content specificity and the effects of depression. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 29, 315–331.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. K., & Rapee, R. M. (2005b). The interpretation of negative social events in social phobia: changes during treatment and relationship to outcome. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 43, 373–389.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wilson, J. K., & Rapee, R. M. (2006). Self-concept certainty in social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44, 113–136.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Wong, Q. J. J., & Moulds, M. L. (2009). Impact of rumination versus distraction on anxiety and maladaptive self-beliefs in socially anxious individuals. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47(10), 861–867.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Woody, S. (1996). Effects of focus of attention on social phobics’ anxiety and social performance. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 105, 61–69.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Zou, J. B., Hudson, J. L., & Rapee, R. M. (2007). The effect of attentional focus on social anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 45, 2326–2333.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Psychology, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, 2052, Australia

    Steve R. Makkar & Jessica R. Grisham

Authors
  1. Steve R. Makkar
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Jessica R. Grisham
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Steve R. Makkar.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Makkar, S.R., Grisham, J.R. The Predictors and Contents of Post-Event Processing in Social Anxiety. Cogn Ther Res 35, 118–133 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-011-9357-z

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-011-9357-z

Keywords

Search

Navigation