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The fear of others: a qualitative analysis of interpersonal threat in social phobia and paranoia

The fear of others: a qualitative analysis of interpersonal threat in social phobia and paranoia
The fear of others: a qualitative analysis of interpersonal threat in social phobia and paranoia
The cognitive models indicate that people with social phobia and paranoia share a common fear of others. While we recognize clinical differences, it is likely that some of the same psychological processes contribute to the maintenance of both presentations, yet the nature and extent of these similarities and differences are not yet clearly understood. This study explored threat experiences in people with social phobia and persecutory delusions in order to elucidate these aspects of the respective cognitive models. Accounts of interpersonal threat experiences were examined in nine people with social phobia and nine people with persecutory delusions. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged from the data: participants’ experience of threat, reactions while under threat, and subsequent reflections. Narrative coherence emerged as a superordinate theme. Typical fear responses were found in both groups, particularly in their reactions to threat. The key differences were in participants’ perceptual experiences, ability to stand back from the threat following the event, and narrative coherence. The findings are discussed in relation to current cognitive models of social phobia and paranoia. Theoretical and clinical implications are drawn out, and highlight the need to examine attentional and metacognitive processes more closely if we are to understand the maintenance of perceived threat in these groups, and means of alleviating associated distress.
social anxiety, paranoia, cognitive model, qualitative methods
1352-4658
188-209
Stopa, Lusia
b52f29fc-d1c2-450d-b321-68f95fa22c40
Denton, Ruth
01c763c7-2a3b-4ef8-ac7d-0d963a7f231b
Wingfield, Megan
f1e2fa55-a013-4e27-816d-77bed488995f
Newman-Taylor, Katherine
e090b9da-6ede-45d5-8a56-2e86c2dafef7
Stopa, Lusia
b52f29fc-d1c2-450d-b321-68f95fa22c40
Denton, Ruth
01c763c7-2a3b-4ef8-ac7d-0d963a7f231b
Wingfield, Megan
f1e2fa55-a013-4e27-816d-77bed488995f
Newman-Taylor, Katherine
e090b9da-6ede-45d5-8a56-2e86c2dafef7

Stopa, Lusia, Denton, Ruth, Wingfield, Megan and Newman-Taylor, Katherine (2013) The fear of others: a qualitative analysis of interpersonal threat in social phobia and paranoia. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 41 (2), 188-209. (doi:10.1017/S1352465812000422). (PMID:22691440)

Record type: Article

Abstract

The cognitive models indicate that people with social phobia and paranoia share a common fear of others. While we recognize clinical differences, it is likely that some of the same psychological processes contribute to the maintenance of both presentations, yet the nature and extent of these similarities and differences are not yet clearly understood. This study explored threat experiences in people with social phobia and persecutory delusions in order to elucidate these aspects of the respective cognitive models. Accounts of interpersonal threat experiences were examined in nine people with social phobia and nine people with persecutory delusions. Verbatim transcripts were analyzed using thematic analysis. Three major themes emerged from the data: participants’ experience of threat, reactions while under threat, and subsequent reflections. Narrative coherence emerged as a superordinate theme. Typical fear responses were found in both groups, particularly in their reactions to threat. The key differences were in participants’ perceptual experiences, ability to stand back from the threat following the event, and narrative coherence. The findings are discussed in relation to current cognitive models of social phobia and paranoia. Theoretical and clinical implications are drawn out, and highlight the need to examine attentional and metacognitive processes more closely if we are to understand the maintenance of perceived threat in these groups, and means of alleviating associated distress.

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e-pub ahead of print date: 13 June 2012
Published date: March 2013
Keywords: social anxiety, paranoia, cognitive model, qualitative methods
Organisations: Psychology

Identifiers

Local EPrints ID: 354323
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/354323
ISSN: 1352-4658
PURE UUID: 549346a5-d13e-445b-914e-3c2d1cc461ab
ORCID for Katherine Newman-Taylor: ORCID iD orcid.org/0000-0003-1579-7959

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Date deposited: 08 Jul 2013 15:07
Last modified: 15 Mar 2024 04:06

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Contributors

Author: Lusia Stopa
Author: Ruth Denton
Author: Megan Wingfield

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