Journal of anxiety disorders
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Cognitive-behavioral models of social phobia emphasize the combined effects of cognitive biases in the maintenance of the condition, and recent findings in adults implicate self-focused attention as one such bias. However, research examining self-focus in youth is limited. This investigation examined the causal role of self-focused attention on threat interpretation biases in a community sample of 175 socially anxious children. ⋯ Social anxiety predicted self-focus and threat interpretation bias. The mirror manipulation did not have an effect on focus of attention or on threat interpretation bias, nor did it interact with social anxiety. Implications and future research directions are discussed.
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This study examined the role of experiential avoidance and difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior when distressed in the relationship between anxiety sensitivity (AS) and depressive symptom severity. A sample of 391 undergraduate students completed a series of questionnaires assessing the constructs of interest. Results provided support for a model where experiential avoidance and difficulties engaging in goal-directed behavior mediate the relationship between the AS dimensions of fear of cognitive dyscontrol and fear of publicly observable anxiety reactions and depressive symptom severity. ⋯ The model was found to reliably distinguish between participants with and without clinical levels of depression. However, only experiential avoidance was a significant mediator. Implications for research on the role of AS in depression vulnerability and treatment are discussed.