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The Relationships Between Metacognition, Anticipatory Processing, and Social Anxiety

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 May 2015

Stephanos P. Vassilopoulos ,
Andreas Brouzos  and
Nicholas J. Moberly
Stephanos P. Vassilopoulos*
Affiliation:
Department of Primary Education, University of Patras, Patras, Greece
Andreas Brouzos
Affiliation:
Department of Primary Education, University of Ioannina, Ioannina, Greece
Nicholas J. Moberly
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, University of Exeter, Exeter, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Stephanos P. Vassilopoulos, Department of Primary Education, University of Patras, Patras, 26 110, Greece. Email: stephanosv@upatras.gr
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Abstract

Anticipatory processing (AP) is a repetitive thinking style associated with social anxiety that has been understudied relative to other similar constructs (e.g., rumination, worry). The primary goal of this study was the development and evaluation of the Positive Beliefs about Anticipatory Processing Questionnaire (PB-APQ) with a sample of 301 undergraduate students. Further, it was predicted that anticipatory processing would mediate the relationship between positive beliefs about anticipatory processing and social interaction anxiety. The findings from this study suggest that PB-APQ is a valid and reliable construct. Anticipatory processing was shown to partially mediate the relationship between positive beliefs about anticipatory processing and social interaction anxiety. The results provide initial evidence for the suggestion that individuals who tend to hold positive beliefs about anticipatory processing tend to engage in anticipatory processing, which may increase social interaction anxiety.

Keywords

anxietysocial anxiety disordersocial phobiaanticipatory processingmetacognitions
Type
Standard Papers
Information
Behaviour Change , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , June 2015 , pp. 114 - 126
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s) 2015 

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