Self focused attention affects subsequent processing of positive (but not negative) performance appraisals.
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES Cognitive behavioral models highlight the conjoint roles of self focused attention (SFA) post event processing (PEP) and performance appraisals in the maintenance of social anxiety. SFA, PEP, and biased performance appraisals are related to social anxiety; however, limited research has examined how SFA affects information processing following social events. The current study examined whether SFA affects the relationships between performance appraisals and PEP following a social event. METHODS 137 participants with high (n 72) or low (n 65) social anxiety were randomly assigned to conditions of high SFA or low SFA while engaging in a standardized social performance. Subsequent performance appraisals and PEP were measured. RESULTS Immediate performance appraisals were not affected by SFA. High levels of SFA led to a stronger, inverse relationship between immediate positive performance appraisals and subsequent negative PEP. High levels of SFA also led to a stronger, inverse relationship between negative PEP and changes in positive performance appraisals. LIMITATIONS Future research should examine whether the current findings, which involved a standardized social performance event, extend to interaction events as well as in a clinical sample. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that SFA affects the processing of positive information following a social performance event. SFA is particularly important for understanding how negative PEP undermines positive performance appraisals.
Journal of behavior therapy and experimental psychiatry