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Interventions targeting negative mental imagery in social anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of characteristics and outcomes (Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy)

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Home / Resources / Anxiety/Panic/Phobias / Interventions targeting negative mental imagery in social anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of characteristics and outcomes (Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy)

Interventions targeting negative mental imagery in social anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of characteristics and outcomes

“To provide both clinicians and researchers with an overview of current applications, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the possibilities and effects of imagery-based interventions that explicitly target negative images in (sub)clinical social anxiety.”


Article Abstract 

“Psychological treatment for social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been found to be less effective than for other anxiety disorders. Targeting the vivid and distressing negative mental images typically experienced by individuals with social anxiety could possibly enhance treatment effectiveness. To provide both clinicians and researchers with an overview of current applications, this systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the possibilities and effects of imagery-based interventions that explicitly target negative images in (sub)clinical social anxiety. Based on a prespecified literature search, we included 21 studies, of which 12 studies included individuals with a clinical diagnosis of SAD. Imagery interventions (k = 28 intervention groups; only in adults) generally lasted one or two sessions and mostly used imagery rescripting with negative memories. Others used eye movement desensitization and reprocessing and imagery exposure with diverse intrusive images. Noncontrolled effects on social anxiety, imagery distress and imagery vividness were mostly large or medium. Meta-analyses with studies with control groups resulted in significant medium controlled effects on social anxiety (d = −0.50, k = 10) and imagery distress (d = −0.64, k = 8) and a nonsignificant effect on imagery vividness. Significant controlled effects were most evident in individuals with clinically diagnosed versus subclinical social anxiety. Overall, findings suggest promising effects of sessions targeting negative mental images. Limitations of the included studies and the analyses need to be considered. Future research should examine the addition to current SAD treatments and determine the relevance of specific imagery interventions. Studies involving children and adolescents are warranted.”

—Description from publisher 

Article Access 

Open Access

Thunnissen, M. R., de Jong, P. J., Rijkeboer, M. M., Voncken, M. J., & Nauta, M. H. (2024). Interventions targeting negative mental imagery in social anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of characteristics and outcomes. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 31(3), e2996. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2996

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Basic Info Collapse

Date
May 21, 2024

Creator(s)
Marjolein R. Thunnissen, Peter J. de Jong, Marleen M. Rijkeboer

Contributor(s)
PMarisol J. Voncken, Maaike H. Nauta

Topics
Anxiety/Panic/Phobias

More Info Collapse

Extent
28 pages

Publisher
John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Rights
© 2024 The Authors. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

APA Citation
Thunnissen, M. R., de Jong, P. J., Rijkeboer, M. M., Voncken, M. J., & Nauta, M. H. (2024). Interventions targeting negative mental imagery in social anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis of characteristics and outcomes. Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy, 31(3), e2996. Open access: https://doi.org/10.1002/cpp.2996

Audience
EMDR Therapists, Other Mental Health Professionals

Language
English

Content Type
Article, Meta-analyses/Systematic Reviews, Peer-Reviewed

Access Type
External Resource, Open Access

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