ABSTRACT
There are a very limited number of sport-specific mental health and sport performance interventions available for athletes of color. This study examined The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS) in a biracial adolescent athlete who was diagnosed with Agoraphobia and Social Anxiety Disorder. A multiple-baseline across behaviors case trial design was used to evaluate outcomes. A battery of psychological measures specific to mental health and sport performance was administered at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. Social skill sets (i.e., positive assertion and negative assertion) were systematically targeted sequentially in a virtual format using HIPAA compliant video-conferencing technology to safeguard against contracting COVID-19. Results demonstrated improvement in negative and positive assertion skills when targeted by the intervention. Severity of concurrent symptoms associated with Social Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia Symptoms, general psychiatric functioning, relationships with coaches, teammates and family, and factors interfering with sports performance improved from pre- to post-intervention. These improvements were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Athlete ratings indicated their satisfaction with TOPPS was high, and intervention components were implemented with high integrity. [ FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Clinical Case Studies is the property of Sage Publications Inc. and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full . (Copyright applies to all s.)
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures are affecting mental health, especially among patients with pre-existing mental disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the first wave and its aftermath of the pandemic in Germany (March-July) on psychopathology of patients diagnosed with panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and specific phobia who were on the waiting list or in current treatment at a German university-based outpatient clinic. From 108 patients contacted, forty-nine patients (45.37%) completed a retrospective survey on COVID-19 related stressors, depression, and changes in anxiety symptoms. Patients in the final sample (n = 47) reported a mild depression and significant increase in unspecific anxiety (d = .41), panic symptoms (d = .85) and specific phobia (d = .38), while social anxiety remained unaltered. Pandemic related stressors like job insecurities, familial stress and working in the health sector were significantly associated with more severe depression and increases in anxiety symptoms. High pre-pandemic symptom severity (anxiety/depression) was a risk factor, whereas meaningful work and being divorced/separated were protective factors (explained variance: 46.5% of changes in anxiety and 75.8% in depressive symptoms). In line with diathesis-stress models, patients show a positive association between stressors and symptom load. Health care systems are requested to address the needs of this vulnerable risk group by implementing timely and low-threshold interventions to prevent patients from further deterioration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
The present study followed-up adolescents with social anxiety disorder (SAD) during the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 5-years following their participation in an Attention Bias Modification Training (ABMT) program (Ollendick et al., 2019). The current study aimed to evaluate current functioning and quality of life (QoL) during the emerging adulthood period. Participants included 27 young adults who completed a randomized controlled trial of ABMT and were available for follow-up. Participants filled out self-report measures of QoL and functioning and underwent a clinical interview to assess current severity of social anxiety. Clinician-rated symptoms of SAD significantly decreased from post-treatment to 5-year follow-up. Additionally, results demonstrated that social anxiety severity was significantly related to poorer self-reported physical and psychological health as well as poorer functioning with regard to social distancing fears during COVID-19. Lastly, when evaluating change in symptoms over time, increases in social anxiety severity over a 5-year period significantly predicted worsened social distancing fears during COVID-19.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Phobia, Social , Young Adult , Humans , Adolescent , Adult , Phobia, Social/psychology , Quality of Life , Follow-Up Studies , Pandemics , Anxiety/psychologyABSTRACT
Uncertainty is the main feature of the business environment in the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) era. People taking leadership positions in an uncertain environment constantly encounter unprecedented risks and challenges. Many of them have difficulties adapting to such an environment and thus experience severe anxiety, showing the symptoms of social anxiety disorder (SAD), failing to exert effective leadership in social interaction contexts. How can leaders overcome SAD and effectively motivate their subordinates in an uncertain environment? This study explores the important role of psychological resilience. Using sample data collected from 82 leaders and 363 subordinates of eight enterprises in China from May to June 2020, the current study reveals that a high degree of psychological resilience enables leaders to maintain intrinsic motivated at work in an uncertain environment. Leaders with a high degree of psychological resilience perform better in identifying the organizations' vision and displaying visionary leadership than those with a low degree. The current study enriches the knowledge of leaders' psychological well-being and effective leadership in the post-COVID-19 era.
ABSTRACT
Introduction: With measures of COVID-19, activities that cover a large part of life have started to be carried out via videoconferencing. Videoconferencing can be disadvantageous for individuals with social anxiety due to increased social presence, decreased mutual understanding and consequently causing awkward communication. Objective(s): This study aims to develop a scale to explore the difficulties experienced by individuals with social anxiety during videoconferencing. Method(s): 598 children and adolescents between the ages of 11-18 participated in the study. The data were collected with Sociodemographic Information Form, Videoconference Anxiety Scale and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Result(s): According to correlation analysis, all correlations between Videoconference Anxiety Scale and Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale total score and subscale scores are above 0.50. According to EFA, the scale consisted of 25 items and a single factor. Factor loads were between 0.62 and 0.81, the single factor explained 52.95% of the variance. Model fit indices after CFA were as follows: X2/df:3.360, GFI:.850, IFI:.900, TLI:.890, CFI:.900, RMSEA:.078, SRMR:.0475. Convergent and discriminative validity of the scale was tested. Standardized factor loads of all items were higher than 0.50. AVE value was 0.47, while CR value was 0.96. Cronbach's alpha coefficient of 25-item VAS is 0.96. Conclusion(s): This study showed that Videoconference Anxiety is a phenomen which is higly correlated with social anxiety and Videoconference Anxiety Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for Turkish children and adolescents.
ABSTRACT
The COVID-19 pandemic and related containment measures are affecting mental health, especially among patients with pre-existing mental disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of the first wave and its aftermath of the pandemic in Germany (March-July) on psychopathology of patients diagnosed with panic disorder, social anxiety disorder and specific phobia who were on the waiting list or in current treatment at a German university-based outpatient clinic. From 108 patients contacted, forty-nine patients (45.37%) completed a retrospective survey on COVID-19 related stressors, depression, and changes in anxiety symptoms. Patients in the final sample (n = 47) reported a mild depression and significant increase in unspecific anxiety (d = .41), panic symptoms (d = .85) and specific phobia (d = .38), while social anxiety remained unaltered. Pandemic related stressors like job insecurities, familial stress and working in the health sector were significantly associated with more severe depression and increases in anxiety symptoms. High pre-pandemic symptom severity (anxiety/depression) was a risk factor, whereas meaningful work and being divorced/separated were protective factors (explained variance: 46.5% of changes in anxiety and 75.8% in depressive symptoms). In line with diathesis-stress models, patients show a positive association between stressors and symptom load. Health care systems are requested to address the needs of this vulnerable risk group by implementing timely and low-threshold interventions to prevent patients from further deterioration. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved)
ABSTRACT
There are a very limited number of sport-specific mental health and sport performance interventions available for athletes of color. This study examined The Optimum Performance Program in Sports (TOPPS) in a biracial adolescent athlete who was diagnosed with Agoraphobia and Social Anxiety Disorder. A multiple-baseline across behaviors case trial design was used to evaluate outcomes. A battery of psychological measures specific to mental health and sport performance was administered at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3-month follow-up. Social skill sets (i.e., positive assertion and negative assertion) were systematically targeted sequentially in a virtual format using HIPAA compliant video-conferencing technology to safeguard against contracting COVID-19. Results demonstrated improvement in negative and positive assertion skills when targeted by the intervention. Severity of concurrent symptoms associated with Social Anxiety Disorder and Agoraphobia Symptoms, general psychiatric functioning, relationships with coaches, teammates and family, and factors interfering with sports performance improved from pre- to post-intervention. These improvements were maintained at the 3-month follow-up. Athlete ratings indicated their satisfaction with TOPPS was high, and intervention components were implemented with high integrity. Copyright © The Author(s) 2022.
ABSTRACT
As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, activities involving a large part of life have started to be carried out via videoconferencing. Videoconferencing can be disadvantageous for individuals with social anxiety due to increased social presence, decreased mutual understanding, and awkward communication. The authors aimed to develop a scale to explore the difficulties experienced by individuals with social anxiety during videoconferencing. A total of 598 children and adolescents participated in the study. The data were collected with the Sociodemographic Information Form, the Videoconference Anxiety Scale, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. According to exploratory factor analysis, the scale consisted of 25 items and a single factor. Factor loads were between 0.62 and 0.81; the single factor explained 52.95% of the variance. This study shows that the Videoconference Anxiety Scale is a valid and reliable instrument for Turkish children.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Adolescent , Anxiety/diagnosis , Child , Concept Formation , Humans , VideoconferencingABSTRACT
Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is very common and can be significantly disabling. New treatments are needed as the remission rate for SAD is the lowest of all the anxiety disorders. Experimental medicine models, in which features resembling a clinical disorder are experimentally induced, are a cost-effective and timely approach to explore potential novel treatments for psychiatric disorders. Following the emergence of SARS-CoV-2, there is a need to develop experimental medicine models that can be carried out remotely. We developed a novel procedure to investigate SAD (the InterneT-based Stress test for Social Anxiety Disorder; ITSSAD) that can be carried out entirely online by a single investigator, potentially reducing costs and maximising internal reliability. The procedure involves an anticipatory period followed by a naturalistic social interaction task. In a sample of 20 non-treatment-seeking volunteers with symptoms of SAD, the ITSSAD induced significant subjective anxiety and reduced positive affect. Further, increased social anxiety symptoms at baseline predicted increased anxiety during the social interaction task. This protocol needs further validation with physiological measures. The ITSSAD is a new tool for researchers to investigate mechanisms underlying social anxiety disorder.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Phobia, Social , Anxiety/psychology , Humans , Phobia, Social/psychology , Reproducibility of Results , SARS-CoV-2 , Software , VideoconferencingABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: During the COVID-19 pandemic, internet-delivered psychotherapeutic interventions (IPI) move increasingly into the focus of attention. METHOD: We reviewed 39 randomized controlled studies of IPIs with 97 study arms (n = 4122 patients) for anxiety disorders (panic disorder/agoraphobia, generalized anxiety disorder, and social anxiety disorder) and performed a meta-analysis. Most studies were conducted with cognitive behavioural approaches (iCBT). Results were compared with a previous meta-analysis examining medications and face-to-face (F2F) psychotherapy. RESULTS: In direct comparisons, IPIs were as effective as F2F-CBT and superior to waitlist controls. Programs with more intensive therapist contact yielded higher effect sizes (ES). We compared the obtained ES with a previous comprehensive meta-analysis of 234 studies. In this comparison, iCBT was less effective than individual F2F-CBT and medications, not different from pill placebos, and more effective than psychological placebo and waitlist (p > .0001 for all comparisons). ES of IPIs may be overestimated. Treatments were only compared to waitlist, which is not a sufficient control condition. 97% of the studies were not blinded with regard to the main outcome measure. 32% of the participants received antianxiety drugs during the trials. In 89%, participants were recruited by advertisements rather than from clinical settings, and 63% of the participants had an academic background (students or university employees) which might affect the generalizability of the findings. Remote diagnoses were often made by students without completed training in psychotherapy. In only 15% of the studies, diagnoses were made in personal contact with a psychiatrist or psychologist. In 44% of the studies, the 'therapists' maintaining remote contact with the participants were mostly students without completed psychotherapy education. CONCLUSIONS: IPIs may be a useful tool when face-to-face psychotherapy is not easily available, or as an add-on to standard psychotherapeutic or psychopharmacological treatments but should perhaps not be used as monotherapy. We have suggested standards for future research and the practical use of IPIs.
Subject(s)
COVID-19 , Pandemics , Agoraphobia/therapy , Anxiety Disorders/psychology , Anxiety Disorders/therapy , Humans , Internet , Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic , Treatment OutcomeABSTRACT
Background: Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) may be at a higher risk for negative outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic due to isolation that is both characteristic of the disorder and also potentially exacerbated by quarantine and public health restrictions. Accordingly, we evaluated emotional and behavioral responses to stress during COVID-19 and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine adoption in socially anxious versus non-socially anxious adults. Methods: Participants (N = 84) were young adults between 18 and 24 years of age who completed a diagnostic interview and self-report measures assessing stress, anxiety and coping responses during COVID-19. Welch's t-tests assessed group differences on mental health outcomes between the SAD versus non-SAD group, and Pearson's χ2 test evaluated COVID-19 vaccination status by group. Lastly, logistic regression examined whether SAD predicted positive COVID-19 vaccination attitude. Results: Results indicated the SAD group demonstrated significantly elevated rates of anxiety and depression as compared to individuals without SAD and had significantly increased rates of engagement in safety behaviors as well as maladaptive coping mechanisms in response to COVID-19 stress. Individuals with SAD were significantly more likely to receive or plan to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. Conclusions: The current study provides evidence that social anxiety may be a significant factor associated with the impact of COVID-19 as well as attitudes with vaccine compliance. Supplementary information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10608-022-10310-3.
ABSTRACT
Remote delivery of evidence-based psychological therapies via video conference has become particularly relevant following the COVID-19 pandemic, and is likely to be an on-going method of treatment delivery post-COVID. Remotely delivered therapy could be of particular benefit for people with social anxiety disorder (SAD), who tend to avoid or delay seeking face-to-face therapy, often due to anxiety about travelling to appointments and meeting mental health professionals in person. Individual cognitive therapy for SAD (CT-SAD), based on the Clark and Wells (1995) model, is a highly effective treatment that is recommended as a first-line intervention in NICE guidance (NICE, 2013). All of the key features of face-to-face CT-SAD (including video feedback, attention training, behavioural experiments and memory-focused techniques) can be adapted for remote delivery. In this paper, we provide guidance for clinicians on how to deliver CT-SAD remotely, and suggest novel ways for therapists and patients to overcome the challenges of carrying out a range of behavioural experiments during remote treatment delivery. KEY LEARNING AIMS: To learn how to deliver all of the core interventions of CT-SAD remotely.To learn novel ways of carrying out behavioural experiments remotely when some in-person social situations might not be possible.
ABSTRACT
Background and Objectives: This observational prospective study aims to examine the psychological and psychopathological impact of the pandemic stress on patients with pre-existing mood, anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Materials and Methods: The study includes 386 consecutive patients recruited from 10 March to 30 June 2020 among those being treated at the Institute of Psychopathology in Rome (Italy) with an age ≥18 years and meeting DSM-5 criteria for major depressive disorder (MDD) (35.2%), bipolar I (BD-I) (21.5%) or II (BD-II) (28.8%) disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) (7.5%), panic disorder (PD) (7.0%) or social anxiety (SA). A total of 34.2% had lifetime comorbid Axis I disorders and 15.3% had alcohol/drug abuse disorders. Using a semi-structured interview, we investigated if the impact of COVID-19 stress for patients has been similar, higher or lower than that of their family and friends and, for patients with relapse/symptoms worsening, if there was a relationship between the clinical condition worsening and the pandemic stress. Results: Compared with that experienced by their family members and friends, the psychological impact of pandemic stress was similar in 52.1% of the sample, better in 37.1% and worse in 10.8%. In 21 patients (5.4%), the stress triggered a recurrence or worsened the symptoms. Patients with OCD had a higher rate of worsening due to pandemic stress compared to patients with MDD (p = 0.033), although, overall, the χ2 test was not significant among primary diagnoses (χ2 = 8.368; p = 0.057). Conclusions: The psychological and psychopathological consequences of COVID-19 stress in our outpatients were very modest. The continuity of care offered during the lockdown could explain the results.