| dc.description.abstract | Social anxiety is an excessive fear of social situations characterised by negative
beliefs about one's performance in social situations and an exaggerated perception of
the potential for catastrophic outcomes, e.g. negative judgements by others,
humiliation, and loss of self-worth (Clark & Wells, 1995). People with social
anxiety report experiencing their parents as emotionally cold, controlling or
intrusive, and as using criticism or shame when disciplining them (Harvey, Ehlers &
Clark, 2005; Leung, Heimberg, Holt & Bruch, 1994; Rapee & Melville, 1997).
Social anxiety may be conceptualised from an attachment perspective particularly as
interpersonal relationships are fundamental to both, and the experiences of being
parented reported by people with social anxiety, may predispose individuals to
developing an insecure attachment style. Self-esteem and locus of control are related
to both social anxiety and attachment, and therefore may be important to both of
these. The following study was conducted to examine the relationship between adult
attachment and social anxiety, using an interview measure of attachment (ASI;
Bifulco, Lillie, Ball & Moran, 1998). Thirty adults, recruited from a university and
social anxiety support groups were screened for a high threshold of symptoms, of
social anxiety. Participants completed self-report questionnaires for anxiety, self-esteem
and locus of control, and were interviewed. The study found that this
socially anxious group had a predominately insecure attachment style, and more
specifically fearful and anxious classifications. Individuals with an insecure
attachment style were not found to be significantly more socially anxious, though
those with a fearful style and an anxious attachment classification were significantly
more socially anxious. Social anxiety was significantly related to low self-esteem
but not to locus of control. Finally individuals with an insecure attachment style did
not report significantly lower self-esteem or external locus of control. The results
are discussed in the context of attachment theory and cognitive models of social
anxiety. Suggestions are made with regards to the development of existing treatment
approaches for social anxiety, incorporating attachment components. | en_US |
