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Cognitive processes as mediators of the relation between mindfulness and change in social anxiety symptoms following cognitive behavioral treatment.

Anxiety, stress, and coping
May 1, 2014
Jessica R Morgan et al. (7 authors)
Journal ArticleRandomized Controlled TrialResearch Support, N.I.H., ExtramuralHuman StudyClinical
Study Details

Study Goal

The researchers aimed to determine whether pretreatment mindfulness indirectly affects treatment outcomes in cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for social phobia, specifically examining its relationship with probability and cost biases.

Results Summary

Pretreatment mindfulness was not directly related to changes in social anxiety symptoms but had an indirect effect on treatment outcomes via its association with probability bias (not cost bias) at midtreatment. These findings were consistent across multiple social anxiety symptom metrics.

Population

Sixty-seven individuals with a primary diagnosis of social phobia who identified public speaking as their greatest fear.

Effective Dosage

Not specified

Duration

Eight sessions of exposure-based CBT

Interactions

None mentioned

Extracted Claims (4)
InterventionDirectionEndpointPopulationDosageImpactClaim #
cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT)
decrease
social anxiety symptom change
individuals with a primary diagnosis of social phobia identifying public speaking as their greatest fear
-
exerted an indirect effect on outcomes
#1
pretreatment mindfulness
no change
social anxiety symptoms
individuals with a primary diagnosis of social phobia
-
was not related to change
#2
mindfulness
decrease
probability bias
individuals with social phobia
-
had an indirect effect on treatment outcome via its association with
#3
mindfulness
no change
cost bias
individuals with social phobia
-
had no indirect effect on treatment outcome via its association with
#4
Abstract

The present study examined whether pretreatment mindfulness exerts an indirect effect on outcomes following cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT). Cognitive processes of probability and cost bias (i.e., overestimations of the likelihood that negative social events will occur, and that these events will have negative consequences when they do occur) were explored as potential mediators of the relation between mindfulness and social anxiety symptom change. People with higher levels of mindfulness may be better able to benefit from treatments that reduce biases because mindfulness may aid in regulation of attention. Sixty-seven individuals with a primary diagnosis of social phobia identifying public speaking as their greatest fear received eight sessions of one of two types of exposure-based CBT delivered according to treatment manuals. Participants completed self-report measures of mindfulness, probability bias, cost bias, and social anxiety symptoms. Mediation hypotheses were assessed by a bootstrapped regression using treatment outcome data. Pretreatment mindfulness was not related to change in social anxiety symptoms from pre- to posttreatment. However, mindfulness had an indirect effect on treatment outcome via its association with probability bias, but not cost bias, at midtreatment. These findings were consistent across three metrics of social anxiety symptoms. Mindfulness may play a role in response to CBT among individuals with social phobia through its relation with probability bias--even when the treatment does not target mindfulness.

Medical Subject Headings (MeSH)
AdultAgedCognitionCognitive Behavioral TherapyFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMindfulnessPhobic DisordersTreatment OutcomeUridineYoung Adult
Study Links
Quality Scores
SafetyNot Assessed
Efficacy65/10
Quality75/10
Citation Metrics
Total Citations5
Citations/Year0.5
Relative Citation Ratio0.26
NIH Percentile13.2%
Research Impact Scores
APT Score0.05
Weight Score1.42
Normalized Score0.61
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