Social Anxiety Disorer

Question 1

What does attentional refocusing involve?

Answer 1

Refocusing attention away from introspection.
Involves in session practise switching attention between different sensory information (auditory, visual, tactile etc). Then in between session practice until client adept at shifting attention away from self.

Question 2

What are behavioural experiments useful for?

Answer 2

Evaluate cognitions relating to perceived social danger (e.g., video recordings to evaluate severity of overt anxiety symptoms)

Question 3

What are 2 examples of observational behavioural experiments?

Answer 3

1. Survey (e.g., survey of peoples opinions of blushing)
2. Therapist modelling (e.g., client observed therapist do something embarrassing such as put wet armpits to look like sweat and lift arms in public place, to see how other people respond)

Question 4

How should you set up a behavioural experiment?

Answer 4

Clearly identify cognition to be tested and rate strength of belief in cognition before and after BE
Identify negative prediction
Try to design a ‘no lose’ BE
Plan strategies for coping with setbacks or BEs going wrong