Cognitive processes mediate the relation between mindfulness and social anxiety within a clinical sample. 


Author: Schmertz SK, Masuda A, Anderson PL.

Affiliation: Georgia State University, Atlanta, GA, USA. 
Conference/Journal: J Clin Psychol.
Date published: 2012 Mar
Other:
 Volume ID: 68   ,  Issue ID: 3   ,  Pages: 362-71   ,  Special Notes: doi: 10.1002/jclp.20861.   ,  Word Count: 119  
    OBJECTIVES:

The researchers investigated the relation between mindfulness and social anxiety symptoms, and examined whether this relation is mediated by cognitive appraisals commonly associated with social anxiety.

PARTICIPANTS:

Ninety-eight individuals diagnosed with social phobia.

DESIGN:

Using a cross-sectional design, ordinary least squares regression and bootstrapping mediation analyses were used to test the study hypotheses.

RESULTS:

Mindfulness was negatively related to symptoms of social anxiety. This relation was partially mediated by cognitive appraisals about the likelihood and cost of a negative social outcome.

CONCLUSION:

Further research using a longitudinal design and other measures of mindfulness is needed to replicate these findings and further explicate the mechanism by which mindfulness might be associated with negative cognitive appraisals.

© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

PMID: 22422563