Experiencing social anxiety during adolescence is linked to poorer educational outcomes. One possible factor playing a part in this is concentration. The observed lower ability to concentrate may suggest impairments in working memory caused by higher self-focused attention (Leigh et al., 2021). Online Social Anxiety Cognitive Therapy for Adolescents (OSCA) targets maintenance processes of SA such as safety behaviours through a series of modules. A recent RCT found a higher recovery rate after OSCA compared to waitlist controls (Leigh & Clark, 2022). A new module called 'The Classroom' has been developed to specifically target self-focused attention and safety behaviours in classroom settings.
Adolescents aged 15-18 experiencing elevated symptoms of social anxiety were invited to take part. Participants completed a working memory task under conditions of perceived social observation vs non-observation, and measures of state anxiety, self-focused attanetion and executive function. Assessments were carried out online at baseline, post-module, and 2-week follow-up. Participants randomly allocated to the module group engaged with the module daily for one week.
We hypothesise that participants will demonstrate reduced working memory performance and higher state anxiety and self-focused attention under conditions of perceived social observation vs non-observation. We predict that the effects of social observation will be mitigated in the module vs no-module group, and that the module group will demonstrate a reduction in symptoms of social anxiety.
Relevant Publications
Is concentration an indirect link between social anxiety and educational achievement in adolescents? | PLOS ONE
