Decentering as a Common Link among Mindfulness, Cognitive Reappraisal, and Social Anxiety

Background: The tendency to employ both cognitive reappraisal and mindfulness are associated with reduced trait social anxiety; however, it is unclear whether reappraisal and mindfulness are associated with social anxiety through the same mechanisms. It has been proposed that decentering, or the pro...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Behavioural and cognitive psychotherapy 2013-05, Vol.41 (3), p.317-328
Main Authors: Hayes-Skelton, Sarah, Graham, Jessica
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Awareness
Behavior therapy. Cognitive therapy
Biological and medical sciences
Cognitive Therapy - methods
Cross-Sectional Studies
Female
Humans
Imagination
Internal-External Control
Male
Medical sciences
Models, Psychological
Phobia
Phobic Disorders - diagnosis
Phobic Disorders - psychology
Phobic Disorders - therapy
Problem Solving
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychometrics
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Surveys and Questionnaires
Thinking
Treatments
Young Adult
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Summary:Background: The tendency to employ both cognitive reappraisal and mindfulness are associated with reduced trait social anxiety; however, it is unclear whether reappraisal and mindfulness are associated with social anxiety through the same mechanisms. It has been proposed that decentering, or the process of seeing thoughts or feelings as objective events in the mind rather than personally identifying with them, may be a key mechanism underlying both cognitive reappraisal and mindfulness. Aims: To examine the relationships between reappraisal, mindfulness, decentering, and social anxiety. Method: This study utilized structural equation modeling to examine the relationships among cognitive reappraisal, mindfulness, decentering, and social anxiety in a large cross-sectional study. Results: Results indicate that the relationship between mindfulness and social anxiety is partially accounted for by decentering, whereas the relationship between cognitive reappraisal and social anxiety is more fully accounted for by decentering. Conclusions: These results imply that decentering may be a common mechanism underlying both cognitive reappraisal and mindfulness, although mindfulness may also affect social anxiety through additional mechanisms. However, given the cross-sectional nature of these findings, results should be considered preliminary, with future research being needed to further elucidate these relationships.
ISSN:1352-4658
1469-1833
DOI:10.1017/S1352465812000902