Electronic Theses and Dissertations

Date of Award

1-1-2023

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Ph.D. in Psychology

First Advisor

Laura J. Dixon

Second Advisor

Sarah A. Bilsky

Third Advisor

Kristin Austin

School

University of Mississippi

Relational Format

dissertation/thesis

Abstract

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is one of the most pervasive psychological conditions affecting emerging adults. Previous literature has demonstrated the importance of biological influences, individual difference characteristics, negative parenting practices, peer victimization experiences, and trauma/adversity in the development and onset of SAD. One unique adverse experience is childhood emotional maltreatment (CEM) or parent-based emotional abuse and/or neglect. CEM has been associated with more severe and persistent social anxiety symptoms in adults. In young adulthood, adverse experiences such as peer exclusion can exacerbate the cognitive and behavioral processes of SAD. However, the impact of early CEM experiences has yet to be explored on distress elicited by adult peer exclusion (i.e., social pain) among socially anxious college students. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the role of CEM experiences on distress resulting from social exclusion among emerging adults with elevated social anxiety symptoms. In the current study, students in psychology courses were screened for the presence of elevated social anxiety symptoms, and eligible students were invited via email to complete an online set of questionnaires and an experimental social exclusion paradigm (i.e., Cyberball). Consistent with study hypotheses, results supported a positive association between SA symptoms and retrospective report of CEM experiences. Further, participants who experienced the social exclusion condition reported a significant increase in social pain compared to participants within the social inclusion condition. However, contrary to study hypotheses, CEM experiences were not supported as a significant moderator in the prediction of social exclusion condition and subsequent social pain. Findings are consistent with previous studies establishing CEM as an adverse experience contributing to adult SAD development; however, the extent of this influence remains inconclusive due to the small number of studies in this area. Future studies should examine the intersection of CEM and SAD through in-person social exclusion paradigms, longitudinal methodology, and among young adults with diverse education and socioeconomic backgrounds.

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