Social Anxiety Disorder

Final Topic: Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
Dryman, T., Gardner, S., Weeks, J.W. & Heimberg, R.G. (2015). Social anxiety disorder and quality of life: How fears of negative and positive evaluation relate to specific domains of life satisfaction. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 38, 1-8.
The authors of the present article point out that SAD has been associated with poor quality of life. Indeed, according to the authors, persons diagnosed with SAD appear to experience impairment in a number of facets, i.e. in on the occupational, educational, as well as social fronts. This is what ends up having a negative impact on the quality of life. It is on this basis that the authors attempt to establish the relationship between a number of quality of life inventory domains and fear of positive evaluation as well as fear of negative evaluation. The quality of life inventory domains that have been highlighted by the authors are inclusive of; social functioning, personal growth, achievement, and surroundings. The authors make a finding to the effect that both fear of positive evaluation as well as fear of negative evaluation have a differential impact on SAD.
I will be using this particular article to not only link social anxiety disorder with poor quality of life, but to also demonstrate the nature of correlation between quality of life (across a variety of domains) and fear of positive evaluation as well as fear of negative evaluation. Further, the article will be instrumental in attempts to underline the need for treatment approaches to incorporate the concepts highlighted to promote quality of life following SAD diagnosis.
Khakpoor, S., Saed, O., Shahsavar, A. & Booth, R.W. (2018). The Concept of ‘Anxiety Sensitivity’ in Social Anxiety Disorder Presentations, Symptomatology, and Treatment: A Theoretical Perspective. Cogent Psychology, 6(1), 14-19.
According to the authors of the present article, in the past, there have been a wide range of psychopathological models as well as theories floated in an attempt to explain social anxiety disorder. In this case, the authors seek to concern themselves with the anxiety sensitivity (AS) concept. In so doing, the authors attempt to determine or establish what role this particular concept plays in the perception of anxiety as well as its treatment. It is important to note that in this case, AS has been described as the fear of what the authors refer to as somatic sensations - associated with anxiety - that appear to impact SAD’s (and other anxiety disorders’) onset as well as maintenance. According to the authors, there is sufficient evidence indicating that anxiety in social scenarios could be exaggerated by AS (i.e. via its interaction with a number of other constructs).
This piece will enable me to introduce the concept of AS and why it ought to be considered a risk factor in as far as SAD development as well as maintenance is concerned. The article will also form a basis for my call for additional/further research in this realm. This is more so the case given that there are very few studies that have sought to highlight and extensively probe AS as an underlying factor in SAD.
Leigh, E. & Clark, D.M. (2018). Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents and Improving Treatment Outcomes: Applying the Cognitive Model of Clark and Wells (1995). Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev., 21(3), 388-414.
The authors of the present article point out that in as far as the emergence of social anxiety disorder is concerned, one specifically developmentally sensitive period is adolescence. This is more so the case given that it is during adolescence that the relevance of peer group increases. Thus, as the authors further point out, a strong argument could be presented for the implementation of effective interventions at this very stage. It is, however, important to note that according to the authors, unlike is the case with adults, there is very little evidence of how effective available therapies are when applied to adolescents. In the present article, the authors are categorical that adults could benefit from the adoption of a social anxiety disorder cognitive model that is developmentally sensitive.
This particular article will come in handy as I seek to advance the need for intervention delivery during adolescence. Further, the article will be instrumental as I seek to explore the most effective interventions at this particular stage. This is more so the case with regard to individual cognitive therapy.
McCall, H.C., Helgadottir, F.D., Menzies, R.., Hadjistavropoulos, H.D., & Chen, F. (2019). Evaluating a Web-Based Social Anxiety Intervention among Community Users: Analysis of Real-World Data. Journal of Medical Research, 21(1), 79-85.
According to the authors, SAD happens to be one of the most prevalent and harmful social disorders. Despite this, the authors observe that available data indicates that SAD is undertreated. There are a number of factors that contribute to the said under-treatment of this particular mental disorder. Some of the more relevant reasons, especially in as far as the present research article is concerned, are the costs associated with seeking treatment and the stigma attached to help seeking. It is on this basis that the authors in this case advance the need for increased utilization of computer-aided psychotherapy interventions. More specifically, the authors concern themselves with Overcome Social Anxiety as an ideal cognitive behavioral therapy that is delivered over the internet.
Thanks to the findings of this article, I will be suggesting computer-aided psychotherapy interventions as a valid interventions for SAD. This is more so the case given that as per the findings of the present study, they have proven to be rather effective in the reduction of the severity of SAD symptoms. Thus, I will be listing Overcome Social Anxiety as a valid intervention.
Torvic, F.A., Rosenstrom, T.H., Gustavson, K., Ystrom, E., Kendler, K.S., Bramness, J.G., Czajkowski, N. & Reichborn-Kjennerud, T. (2019). Explaining the association between anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder: A twin study. Depress Anxiety, 36(6), 522-532.
Very few studies have investigated the association between SAD and alcohol use disorder. This is what exactly the present study attempts to find out. Further, the authors also seek to determine exactly how the association (if any) between SAD and alcohol use disorder develops. As per the results of this study, there is a strong positive correlation between SAD and alcohol use disorder. As a matter of fact, in comparison to other anxiety disorders, the correlation between SAD and alcohol use disorder appears to be strongest.
The findings highlighted above will help to buttress my argument for early intervention. The said early intervention would be instrumental in attempts to minimize the risk of alcohol use disorder. I will also be using the findings of the article to call for additional research on the nature of the established association and what this means on the treatment front.
Vilaplana-Pérez, A., Pérez-Vigil, A., Sidorchuk, A., Brander, G., Isomura, K., Hesselmark, E., . . . Fernández de la Cruz, L. (2020). Much more than just shyness: The impact of social anxiety disorder on educational performance across the lifespan. Psychological Medicine, 1-9
As Dryman, Gardner, Weeks and Heimberg (2015) point out elsewhere in this annotation, SAD has been associated with adverse outcomes in multiple facets of life including, but not limited to, education. This is the very same argument that the authors of the present article advance. According to the said authors, SAD leads to education underachievement. In the present study, which seeks to investigate how SAD and achievement education are related, the authors make a finding to the effect that indeed, SAD results in significant impairment on the academic front – specifically during the formative years.
The findings of the present study will enable me to suggest the need for early treatment interventions. This is more so the case given that in the said study, SAD has been associated with poor academic performance during the formative stages of learning. Indeed, as the authors of the present research article point out, early intervention remains the most valid approach to minimize the long-term effects of this mental disorder – specifically on the socioeconomic front.
Zakri, H. (2015). Social Anxiety Disorder. InnovAiT, 8(11), 677-684.
The author points out that social anxiety disorder happens to be a rather widespread mental health concern. As a matter of fact, the author makes the observation that only depression exceeds this mental health issue in primary care. However, even so, the authors point out that unlike psychiatrists, GPs often find it difficult to not only diagnose the condition, but also explain the most appropriate courses of action in as far as treatment of the same is concerned. The condition, thus, continues to be both underdiagnosed and undertreated.
The article will enable me to highlight the need to take social anxiety disorder seriously so as to reign in the under-diagnosis and under-treatment of the same. This is more so the case given that as the author points out, the only other condition that exceeds it is depression (in primary care settings). One way of taking this particular condition seriously would be by ensuring that GPs are well equipped to make a correct diagnosis of social anxiety disorder – especially given that the author of the present article has pointed out that GP’s face a challenge in this regard.
References
Dryman, T., Gardner, S., Weeks, J.W. & Heimberg, R.G. (2015). Social anxiety disorder and quality of life: How fears of negative and positive evaluation relate to specific domains of life satisfaction. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 38, 1-8.
Khakpoor, S., Saed, O., Shahsavar, A. & Booth, R.W. (2018). The Concept of ‘Anxiety Sensitivity’ in Social Anxiety Disorder Presentations, Symptomatology, and Treatment: A Theoretical Perspective. Cogent Psychology, 6(1), 14-19.
Leigh, E. & Clark, D.M. (2018). Understanding Social Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents and Improving Treatment Outcomes: Applying the Cognitive Model of Clark and Wells (1995). Clin Child Fam Psychol Rev., 21(3), 388-414.
McCall, H.C., Helgadottir, F.D., Menzies, R.., Hadjistavropoulos, H.D., & Chen, F. (2019). Evaluating a Web-Based Social Anxiety Intervention among Community Users: Analysis of Real-World Data. Journal of Medical Research, 21(1), 79-85.
Torvic, F.A., Rosenstrom, T.H., Gustavson, K., Ystrom, E., Kendler, K.S., Bramness, J.G., Czajkowski, N. & Reichborn-Kjennerud, T. (2019). Explaining the association between anxiety disorders and alcohol use disorder: A twin study. Depress Anxiety, 36(6), 522-532.
Vilaplana-Pérez, A., Pérez-Vigil, A., Sidorchuk, A., Brander, G., Isomura, K., Hesselmark, E., . . . Fernández de la Cruz, L. (2020). Much more than just shyness: The impact of social anxiety disorder on educational performance across the lifespan. Psychological Medicine, 1-9
Zakri, H. (2015). Social Anxiety Disorder. InnovAiT, 8(11), 677-684.