New research offers explanation for why improving working memory function can increase anxiety
A study published in Psychophysiology found that subjects who took part in cognitive training to improve working memory showed increased anxiety during a subsequent memory task, compared to the group who did not partake in any training. Anxiety disorders have...
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New study provides evidence for “healthy immigrant effect” suggesting immigrants are less likely to have an anxiety disorder
A Canadian study found that immigrants had 30% lower odds of being diagnosed with an anxiety disorder than Canadian-born adults. The study was published in the International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health. Anxiety disorders are among the most...
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People with social anxiety show visible signs of discomfort during social tasks — but no performance impairment
A recent study published in BMC Psychology found that social anxiety predicted visible signs of discomfort during two social interaction tasks. However, social anxiety had no impact on subjects’ performance in terms of verbal fluency, verbal expression, or adequacy of...
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Study suggests negative self-imagery helps maintain social anxiety
A recent study, published in PLOS ONE, suggests that mental imagery plays a role in maintaining social anxiety in adolescents. When socially anxious youth held a negative (vs. benign) image in mind during a conversation, they rated themselves more negatively...
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Social media exposure during the coronavirus pandemic is linked to increased anxiety
Exposure to information about COVID-19 through social media is associated with increased symptoms of anxiety, according to a recent Chinese study. The report was published in PLOS One. The rapid spread of new virus COVID-19 throughout China, and its quick...
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Heightened social anxiety severity is associated with reduced levels of mindfulness and self-compassion
Individuals who suffer from social anxiety disorder tend to have lower levels of self-compassion and mindfulness, according to a new study published in Mindfulness. Social anxiety disorder is a very common mental health condition characterized by the constant fear of...
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Adolescent anxiety may predict future psychiatric diagnoses and suicidal ideation
Adolescents with anxiety are at risk for future psychiatric diagnoses and suicidal ideation, according to a study published in BMC Psychiatry. Anxiety disorders, which include disorders like social anxiety disorder and panic disorder, are the most widespread mental health disorders...
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Study suggests ‘robust social support is necessary’ to buffer against anxiety amid coronavirus pandemic
New research from China has identified several factors that appear to be protective factors against anxiety for college students during the COVID-19 outbreak. The study has been published in the scientific journal Psychiatry Research. In December 2019, an outbreak of...
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Scientists find a potential biomarker that predicts reductions in anxiety symptoms following treatment
The gray matter volume of a brain region involved in fear and avoidance responses appears to predict treatment outcomes in patients with anxiety disorders, according to new research published in Neuropsychopharmacology. "Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental health...
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Social anxiety is linked to impaired memory for positive social events
People with social anxiety tend to have a harder time remembering social scenarios that end positively, according to new research published in the journal Cognition and Emotion. The study provides more evidence that social anxiety is related to biases in...
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Cognitive behavioral therapy associated with moderate anxiety symptom reductions up to one year after treatment
Cognitive behavioral therapy for anxiety-related disorders is associated with improved outcomes compared with control conditions up to one year after treatment completion, according to new research published in JAMA Psychiatry. "About 1 out of 10 individuals have an anxiety-related disorder...
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Psychedelic drugs may reduce depression and anxiety by increasing psychological flexibility
Preliminary research indicates that psychological flexibility may play an important role in explaining why the use of psychedelic drugs is associated with reductions in depression and anxiety symptoms. The new findings appear in the Journal of Contextual Behavioral Science. Research...
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Psychology research uncovers how relaxation can induce anxiety in those with generalized anxiety disorder
Some individuals with generalized anxiety disorder prefer worrying over relaxing to avoid experiencing a sharp spike in negative emotion, according to new research published in the Journal of Affective Disorders. The study sheds light on a phenomenon known as relaxation...
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The children of parents with personality disorder symptoms are at increased risk for anxiety and depression
New research provides evidence that parents' personality disorders symptoms predict symptoms of psychiatric disorders in their offspring during childhood. The findings have been published in the Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology. "We know quite a lot about how parental depression...
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Social media and television use — but not video games — predict depression and anxiety in teens
New research provides evidence that some forms of screen time are linked to an increase in anxiety and depression symptoms among adolescents. "It is very common to talk to our children about the negative consequences of alcohol use, smoking, and...
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