Relationships between core-beliefs, bivalent fear of evaluation, and social anxiety symptoms: a structural equation model

ObjectiveIt is increasingly recognised that social anxiety is underpinned by a bivalent fear of evaluation. The present study tested how well a core-beliefs measure developed for social anxiety was accounted for within this bivalent model. It was hypothesised that bivalent fear of evaluation would predict more variance in social anxiety symptoms than negative alone, and that known core beliefs would predict fear of negative more than fear of positive evaluation.MethodAn online survey was completed by 346 undergraduates who were recruited in exchange for course credit, through a targeted strategy that ensured that they experienced social anxiety symptoms. The survey was completed on Qualtrics, with all questions appearing in a standardised order.ResultsThe hypothesised model explained 45.4% of social anxiety symptom variance. Core-beliefs explained unique variance in fear of positive and negative evaluation but had a larger relationship with fear of negative evaluation.ConclusionsThese results suggest that different core-beliefs underpin fear of positive and negative evaluation. Better knowledge of the core-beliefs underpinning fear of positive evaluation may inform the development of more effective psychological treatments What is already known about this topic:Bivalent fear of evaluation is increasingly recognised in social anxiety.Fear of positive evaluation uniquely contributes beyond negative evaluation.Core belief measures exist based on fear of negative evaluation theories.What this topic adds:Established core beliefs do not well explain variance in positive evaluation.Only conditional beliefs explain variance in both fear of negative and positive evaluation.Further research is needed on core beliefs related to fear of positive evaluation.