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Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is a debilitating disorder, characterized by fear and anxiety in social situations. Evidence suggests that the levels of SAD are rising, in particularly after the COVID-19 pandemic. Serotonin and noradrenaline reuptake inhibitors and cognitive-behavioral therapy are effective treatments for SAD. Nevertheless, a significant number of patients do not respond well to these therapeutic options. During the last years, Cannabis and cannabinoid-containing products have been investigated for the treatment of different neuropsychiatric disorders. Nevertheless, their efficacy for the treatment of anxiety disorders is still a matter of debate. The purpose of this review was to investigate subjective, behavioral, and neurobiological effects of Cannabis and cannabinoids in social anxiety and SAD. A search in the PubMed database for articles published between the years of 2003-2023 was conducted. One hundred and seventeen (117) original studies were identified. After the exclusion criteria, eighteen (18) studies were selected. The studies investigated the effects of the cannabinoids Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD) in patients or healthy volunteers submitted to tasks that assessed social anxiety. Results showed that CBD decreases social anxiety, producing an inverted U-shaped curve, with anxiety measurements being reduced at intermediate doses administered orally (300-600 mg), but not at lower or higher doses. THC either reduces (lower doses, 6-7.5 mg) or increases (higher doses) social anxiety measurements. CBD attenuates the anxiogenic effects of THC. The effects of THC and CBD in anxiety are associated to the modulation of fronto-limbic regions. Further clinical trials, conducted with male and female patients and larger cohorts are still necessary to consolidate these results.

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Social cognition impairments may be associated with poor functional outcomes, symptoms, and disability in social anxiety disorder (SAD) and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). This meta-analysis aims to determine if emotion recognition and theory of mind (ToM) are impaired in SAD or GAD compared to healthy controls. A systematic review was conducted in electronic databases (PubMed, PsycNet, and Web of Science) to retrieve studies assessing emotion recognition and/or ToM in patients with SAD or GAD, compared to healthy controls, up to March 2022. Meta-analyses using random-effects models were conducted. We identified 21 eligible studies: 13 reported emotion recognition and 10 ToM outcomes, with 585 SAD patients, 178 GAD patients, and 753 controls. Compared to controls, patients with SAD exhibited impairments in emotion recognition (SMD = -0.32, CI = -0.47 - -0.16, z = -3.97, p < 0.0001) and ToM (SMD = -0.44, CI = -0.83 -0.04, z = -2.18, p < 0.01). Results for GAD were inconclusive due to the limited number of studies meeting the inclusion criteria (two for each domain). Relevant demographic and clinical variables (age, sex, education level, and anxiety scores) were not significantly correlated with emotion recognition or ToM impairments in SAD and GAD. Further studies employing ecological measures with larger and homogenous samples are needed to better delineate the factors influencing social cognition outcomes in both SAD and GAD.

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Objetivo: descrever perante a literatura os instrumentos para diagnóstico e rastreamento do Transtorno de Ansiedade Social (TAS) que sejam adaptados à realidade brasileira. Método: revisão de literatura exploratória e descritiva, realizado através das bases de dados: PubMED, BVS e Scielo. No mês de agosto de 2022 com recorte temporal de 2017 a 2022. Sendo inclusos, documentos que versavam a respeito dos instrumentos para diagnóstico e rastreamento do TAS, adaptados à realidade brasileira. Resultado: ao revisar a literatura foram encontrados 14 documentos dentre as escalas de reconhecimento e rastreamento do TAS com validação e adaptação transcultural para realidade brasileira, foram encontrados quatro: Questionário de Ansiedade social para Adultos; Escala de Ansiedade em Interação Social Reduzida; Escala de Ansiedade Social Reduzida e a Escala de Ansiedade Social de Liebowitz versão auto aplicada. Conclusão:há uma minoria de estudos validados e adaptados aos brasileiros dificultando assim o diagnóstico, tratamento precoce e a avaliação multidisciplinar.(AU)

Objective: to describe in the literature the instruments for diagnosis and screening of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) that are adapted to the Brazilian reality. Method: exploratory and descriptive literature review, conducted through the databases: PubMED, BVS and Scielo. In August 2022, with a time frame of 2017 to 2022. Included were documents about the instruments for diagnosis and screening of SAD, adapted to the Brazilian reality. Result: After reviewing the literature, 14 documents were found among the SAD recognition and screening scales with validation and cross-cultural adaptation for the Brazilian reality, four were found: Adult Social Anxiety Questionnaire; Reduced Social Interaction Anxiety Scale; Reduced Social Anxiety Scale, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, self-applied version. Conclusion: there is a minority of studies validated and adapted to Brazilians thus hindering diagnosis, early treatment and multidisciplinary assessment.(AU)

Objetivo:describir através de la literatura los instrumentos para el diagnóstico y rastreodelTrastorno de Ansiedad Social (TAS) que se adaptan a la realidade brasileña. Método:revisión bibliográfica exploratoria y descriptiva, realizada a través de las bases de datos: PubMED, BVS y Scielo. En agosto de 2022 conunplazo de 2017 a 2022. Se incluyeron documentos sobre los instrumentos de diagnóstico y cribadodelTAS, adaptados ala realidade brasileña. Resultados: al revisar la literatura se encontraron 14 documentos dentro de las escalas de reconocimiento y rastreo de laTASconvalidación y adaptación transcultural a la realidade brasileña, se encontraroncuatro: Questionário de Ansiedade social para Adultos; Escala de Ansiedade em Interação Social Reduzida; Escala de Ansiedade Social Reduzida y la Escala de Ansiedade Social de Liebowitzversión auto aplicada. Conclusión:hay una minoría de estudios validados y adaptados a losbrasileños, lo que dificulta el diagnóstico, el tratamento precoz y laevaluación multidisciplinar. (AU)

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Objetivo: descrever perante a literatura os instrumentos para diagnóstico e rastreamento do Transtorno de Ansiedade Social (TAS) que sejam adaptados à realidade brasileira. Método: revisão de literatura exploratória e descritiva, realizado através das bases de dados: PubMED, BVS e Scielo. No mês de agosto de 2022 com recorte temporal de 2017 a 2022. Sendo inclusos, documentos que versavam a respeito dos instrumentos para diagnóstico e rastreamento do TAS, adaptados à realidade brasileira. Resultado: ao revisar a literatura foram encontrados 14 documentos dentre as escalas de reconhecimento e rastreamento do TAS com validação e adaptação transcultural para realidade brasileira, foram encontrados quatro: Questionário de Ansiedade social para Adultos; Escala de Ansiedade em Interação Social Reduzida; Escala de Ansiedade Social Reduzida e a Escala de Ansiedade Social de Liebowitz versão auto aplicada.Conclusão:há uma minoria de estudos validados e adaptados aos brasileiros dificultando assim o diagnóstico, tratamento precoce e a avaliação multidisciplinar.(AU)

Objective: to describe in the literature the instruments for diagnosis and screening of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) that are adapted to the Brazilian reality. Method: exploratory and descriptive literature review, conducted through the databases: PubMED, BVS and Scielo. In August 2022, with a time frame of 2017 to 2022. Included were documents about the instruments for diagnosis and screening of SAD, adapted to the Brazilian reality. Result: After reviewing the literature, 14 documents were found among the SAD recognition and screening scales with validation and cross-cultural adaptation for the Brazilian reality, four were found: Adult Social Anxiety Questionnaire; Reduced Social Interaction Anxiety Scale; Reduced Social Anxiety Scale, and the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, self-applied version. Conclusion: there is a minority of studies validated and adapted to Brazilians thus hindering diagnosis, early treatment and multidisciplinary assessment.(AU)

Objetivo:describir através de la literatura los instrumentos para el diagnóstico y rastreodelTrastorno de Ansiedad Social (TAS) que se adaptan a la realidade brasileña. Método:revisión bibliográfica exploratoria y descriptiva, realizada a través de las bases de datos: PubMED, BVS y Scielo. En agosto de 2022 conunplazo de 2017 a 2022. Se incluyeron documentos sobre los instrumentos de diagnóstico y cribadodelTAS, adaptados ala realidade brasileña. Resultados: al revisar la literatura se encontraron 14 documentos dentro de las escalas de reconocimiento y rastreo de laTASconvalidación y adaptación transcultural a la realidade brasileña, se encontraroncuatro: Questionário de Ansiedade social para Adultos; Escala de Ansiedade em Interação Social Reduzida; Escala de Ansiedade Social Reduzida y la Escala de Ansiedade Social de Liebowitzversión auto aplicada. Conclusión:hay una minoría de estudios validados y adaptados a losbrasileños, lo que dificulta el diagnóstico, el tratamento precoz y laevaluación multidisciplinar.(AU)

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Individuals with Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) often also experience depression. This study's objective was to verify the levels of depression present in a sample of individuals diagnosed with SAD and to characterize this sample according to sociodemographic variables. There were 104 participants diagnosed with SAD from a pre-existing database. The sociodemographic and clinical data were analyzed through descriptive statistics, as well as inferential statistics on levels of social anxiety and depressive symptoms, obtained through the Social Anxiety Inventory (SPIN) and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). It was found that more than half of the people had Major Depressive Disorder as a secondary diagnosis and that higher levels of social anxiety correlated positively with higher levels of depressive symptoms. These data show the relationship between depression and social anxiety and corroborate the findings of the literature.

Os indivíduos com transtorno de ansiedade social (TAS) frequentemente apresentam também depressão. O objetivo deste trabalho foi verificar os níveis de depressão presentes em uma amostra de indivíduos diagnosticados com TAS, assim como ca racterizar essa amostra de acordo com as variáveis sociodemográficas. Contou-se com 104 participantes diagnosticados com TAS, provenientes de um banco de dados preexistente. Os dados sociodemográficos e clínicos foram analisados por meio de estatística descritiva, bem como se utilizou estatística inferencial nos níveis de ansiedade social e sintomas depressivos, obtidos por meio do Inventário de Fobia Social (SPIN) e do Inventário de Depressão de Beck (BDI-II). Constatou-se que mais da metade das pessoas possuía transtorno depressivo maior como diagnóstico secundário e que maiores níveis de ansiedade social se correlacionaram positivamente com maiores níveis de sintomas depressivos. Tais dados evidenciam a relação existente entre depressão e ansiedade social, e corroboram os achados da literatura.

Las personas con trastorno de ansiedad social (TAS) a menudo también experimentan depresión. El objetivo de este trabajo fue verificar los niveles de depresión presentes en una muestra de individuos diagnosticados con TAS, así caracterizar esta muestra de acuerdo con las variables sociodemográficas. Hubo 104 participantes diagnosticados con TAS provenientes de una base de datos preexistente. Los datos sociodemográficos y clínicos fueron analizados mediante estadística descriptiva, así como estadísticas inferenciales sobre los niveles de ansiedad social y síntomas depresivos, obtenidos a través del Inventario de Ansiedad Social (SPIN) y el Inventario de Depresión de Beck (BDI-II). Se encontró que más de la mitad de las personas tenían un trastorno depresivo mayor como diagnóstico secundario, y que los niveles más altos de ansiedad social se correlacionaron positivamente con niveles más altos de síntomas depresivos. Estos datos destacan la relación entre la depresión y la ansiedad social, y corroboran los hallazgos de la literatura.

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Abstract Objective Acceptance and commitment therapy has been used to treat anxiety disorders recently. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of acceptance and commitment therapy for psychological symptoms in students with social anxiety disorder, including difficulty in emotion regulation, psychological flexibility based on experiential avoidance, self-compassion, and external shame. Methods This study was a semi-experimental clinical trial. Twenty four students with social anxiety disorder were randomly divided into two groups after initial evaluations: an experimental group (12 subjects) and a control group (12 subjects). The experimental group received 12 treatment sessions based on a protocol of acceptance and commitment therapy for anxiety disorders, and the control group was put on a waiting list. Self-Compassion (SCS), Difficulty in Emotion Regulation (DERS), External Shame (ESS), Social Anxiety (SPIN), and Acceptance and Action (AAQ-II) questionnaires were used to assess participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS. Results Acceptance and commitment therapy was shown to be effective at the post-test and follow up stages for reducing external shame, social anxiety, and difficulty in emotion regulation and its components, and for increasing psychological flexibility and self-compassion (p < 0.05). The largest effect size of treatment was for increase of psychological flexibility and the lowest efficacy was for the components "difficulty in impulse control" and "limited access to emotional strategies" at the post-test and follow-up stages, respectively. Conclusion Acceptance and commitment therapy may be an appropriate psychological intervention for reducing the symptoms of students with social anxiety disorder and helping them to improve psychological flexibility. Emotion and related problems can be identified as one of the main targets of this treatment. Clinical trial registration: Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials, IRCT20180421039369N1.

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Many pharmacological treatments were proved effective in the treatment of panic disorder (PD), generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), social anxiety disorder (SAD), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD); still many patients do not achieve remission with these treatments. Neurostimulation techniques have been studied as promising alternatives or augmentation treatments to pharmacological and psychological therapies. The most studied neurostimulation method for anxiety disorders, PTSD, and OCD was repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). This neurostimulation technique had the highest level of evidence for GAD. There were also randomized sham-controlled trials indicating that rTMS may be effective in the treatment of PTSD and OCD, but there were conflicting findings regarding these two disorders. There is indication that rTMS may be effective in the treatment of panic disorder, but the level of evidence is low. Deep brain stimulation (DBS) was most studied for treatment of OCD, but the randomized sham-controlled trials had mixed findings. Preliminary findings indicate that DBS could be affective for PTSD. There is weak evidence indicating that electroconvulsive therapy, transcranial direct current stimulation, vagus nerve stimulation, and trigeminal nerve stimulation could be effective in the treatment of anxiety disorders, PTSD, and OCD. Regarding these disorders, there is no support in the current literature for the use of neurostimulation in clinical practice. Large high-quality studies are warranted.

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BACKGROUND: A growing number of studies are questioning the validity of current DSM diagnoses, either as "discrete" or distinct mental disorders and/or as phenotypically homogeneous syndromes. In this study, we investigated how symptom domains in patients with a main diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (PD) and social anxiety disorder (SAD) coaggregate. We predicted that symptom domains would be unrelated to DSM diagnostic categories and less likely to cluster with each other as severity increases. METHODS: One-hundred eight treatment seeking patients with a main diagnosis of OCD, SAD or PD were assessed with the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale (DOCS), the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale (PAS), the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised (ASI-R), and the Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories (BDI and BAI, respectively). Subscores generated by each scale (herein termed "symptom domains") were used to categorize individuals into mild, moderate and severe subgroups through K-means clusterization and subsequently analysed by means of multiple correspondence analysis. RESULTS: Broadly, we observed that symptom domains of OCD, SAD or PD tend to cluster on the basis of their severities rather than their DSM diagnostic labels. In particular, symptom domains and disorders were grouped into (1) a single mild "neurotic" syndrome characterized by multiple, closely related and co-occurring mild symptom domains; (2) two moderate (complicated and uncomplicated) "neurotic" syndromes (the former associated with panic disorder); and (3) severe but dispersed "neurotic" symptom domains. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that symptoms domains of treatment seeking patients with OCD and anxiety disorders tend to be better conceptualized in terms of severity rather than rigid diagnostic boundaries.

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Abstract Background Public speaking is a main requisite for academic achievement amongst university students. Epidemiological data on social phobia among University students in the Arab World are scarce. Objectives To screen for social phobia symptoms in a representative sample of Egyptian university students, and to highlight some putative risk factors associated with them. Methods Two thousand nine hundred and nineteen Egyptian university students participated in the study. They were screened for social phobia using Brief Social Phobia Scale (BSPS). Students total and subdomain scores on the BSPS were correlated with their demographic and scholastic variables. Results Social phobia symptoms were estimated to be prevalent among (44%) of the study sample. A significant (p < 0.05) negative correlation was found between students' age and avoidance scores on BSPS and between students' educational year and their scores on fear, avoidance and physiologic subdomains on the BSPS. Regression analysis pointed out to a number of predictive factors for the higher total BSPS scores such as female gender and being a medical student. Discussion Our study demonstrated a high rate of social phobia symptoms in university students. It also demonstrated a number of significant predictive factors associated with the domains of social phobia such as gender, BMI, scholastic year and faculty type.

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Objective: To examine the psychometric properties of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale-Self Report (LSAS-SR) based on a large sample recruited from 16 Latin American countries, Spain, and Portugal. Methods: Two groups of participants were included: a non-clinical sample involving 31,243 community subjects and a clinical sample comprising 529 patients with a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder (SAD). Exploratory factor analysis (EFA), confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) were used in order to determine the psychometric properties of the LSAS-SR. Results: EFA identified five factors with eigenvalues greater than 1.00 explaining 50.78% of the cumulative variance. CFA and ESEM supported this 5-factor structure of the LSAS-SR. The factors included: 1) speaking in public; 2) eating/drinking in front of other people; 3) assertive behaviors; 4) working/writing while being observed; and 5) interactions with strangers. Other psychometric properties such as inter-factor correlations, invariance, reliability, and validity of the scale were also found. Conclusion: Psychometric data support the internal consistency and convergent validity of the LSAS-SR. It seems to be a valid and reliable measure of global social anxiety for Spanish and Portuguese-speaking countries, although when considering a multidimensional approach (factor-based assessment) it seems to be lacking some relevant social situations that are feared in those countries.

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OBJECTIVE: In this study, we compared duration of untreated illness (DUI) in obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), panic disorder (PD), and social anxiety disorder (SAD) patients and investigated its correlates, both within specific diagnoses and across the whole sample. METHODS: Eighty-eight patients (33 OCD, 24 SAD, and 31 PD) had their diagnosis confirmed by the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview, were assessed for treatment-seeking variables, and were evaluated with instruments aimed at quantifying transdiagnostic features (i.e., the Cause subscale of the Illness Perception Questionnaire-Mental Health and the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-Revised) and severity of illness (i.e., Beck Depression and Anxiety Inventories, the Dimensional Obsessive-Compulsive Scale, the Panic and Agoraphobia Scale, and the Social Phobia Inventory). RESULTS: The only differences between groups with short (<2 years) versus long (>2 years) DUI were greater fear of public display of anxiety in the first group and greater social avoidance in the second group. The DUI was significantly different between groups that sought treatment after the onset of illness, with OCD patients having longer DUI than PD patients and shorter DUI than SAD patients. Further, DUI correlated negatively with the perception of OCD being caused by stress and positively with severity of panic-related disability in SAD patients, but not in PD or OCD patients. CONCLUSION: There was substantial delay in treatment seeking among the anxiety and obsessive-compulsive disorder patients, particularly those with OCD or SAD. Perception of stress as a cause of OCD prompted treatment seeking, while severity of panic symptoms delayed treatment seeking.

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Las problemáticas que afectan la capacidad de las personas para desempeñarse adecuadamente en las interacciones sociales, tales como el trastorno de ansiedad social (Social Anxiety Disorder, SAD), constituyen un ámbito de estudio que ha cobrado gran interés, debido a la importancia que las relaciones sociales tienen en todas las áreas de desempeño de los seres humanos. Sin embargo, se observa una escasez generalizada de estudios sobre ansiedad social en países latinoamericanos, en parte, debido a la ausencia de instrumentos construidos o adaptados a la población general o a conjuntos específicos. En función de ello, el objetivo del presente trabajo fue analizar las propiedades psicométricas del Inventario de Fobia y Ansiedad Social- Forma Breve (SPAI- B) para su utilización en estudiantes universitarios argentinos. Los resultados evidenciaron propiedades psicométricas adecuadas de validez y confiabilidad y se aportó evidencia de validez de grupos contrastados y convergente. Se discuten las limitaciones del estudio y nuevas líneas de investigación. (AU)

As problemáticas que afetam a capacidade das pessoas para terem um desempenho adequado nas interações sociais, como o transtorno de ansiedade social (Social Anxiet Disorder, SAD), constituem um âmbito de estudo que ganhou grande interesse devido à importância que as relações sociais têm em todas as áreas de desempenho dos seres humanos. No entanto, há um déficit generalizado de estudos sobre ansiedade social em países latino-americanos, devido a uma ausência de instrumentos construídos ou adaptados à população geral ou grupos específicos. Com base nisso, o objetivo do presente trabalho foi analisar as propriedades psicométricas do Inventario de Fobia e Ansiedade Social - Forma Breve (SPAI- B) para sua utilização com estudantes universitários argentinos. Os resultados mostraram propriedades psicométricas adequadas de validade e fidedignidade e gerou evidência de validade de grupos contrastados e validade convergente. As limitações do estudo e novas linhas de pesquisa são discutidas. (AU)

The problems that affect people's ability to perform adequately in social interactions, such as Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD), constitute an area of study that has gained great interest, due to the importance that social relations have in all areas of performance of human beings. However, there is a general scarcity of studies on social anxiety in Latin American countries, partly because of the absence of instruments built or adapted to the general population or specific groups. Due to this, the objective of the present investigation was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Spanish version of the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory-Short form (SPAI - B) to be used in Argentine college students. The results showed appropriate validity and reliability psychometric properties and it also has been provided evidence of contrasting groups and convergent validity. The limitations of the study and new lines of research are discussed. (AU)

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El mutismo selectivo es un cuadro clínico caracterizado por una falta constante del habla en situaciones sociales específicas en las que hay una expectativa de hablar, a pesar de hacerlo en otras situaciones. El objetivo del presente trabajo es realizar una revisión narrativa de la evidencia en relación a este trastorno, con un énfasis en la evolución que presentan estos pacientes. La evidencia muestra que, si bien los síntomas generalmente mejoran con el tiempo, las personas a menudo continúan exhibiendo problemas de comunicación, un peor desempeño académico y laboral, además de presentar un mayor riesgo de otros trastornos psiquiátricos, principalmente Trastorno de Ansiedad Social. Es necesaria mayor investigación respecto al seguimiento de estos pacientes considerando la escasa evidencia disponible y el gran impacto que genera en el paciente y su familia.

Abstract. Selective mutism is a disorder in which an individual fails to speak in certain social situations, in spite of being able to speak normally in other settings. The aim of the present work is to perform a narrative review of the evidence in relation to this disorder, with an emphasis on the progression presented by these patients. Evidence shows that, although symptoms generally improve over time, people often continue to exhibit communication problems, have a worse academic and work performance than expected, and present a higher risk of other psychiatric disorders, mainly Social Anxiety Disorder. Further research is necessary regarding the follow-up of these patients, considering the limited available evidence and the great impact it has on the patient and his family.

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Resumo A Realidade Virtual (RV) foi utilizada nesse estudo como recurso terapêutico em uma intervenção analítico-comportamental para dois participantes com transtorno de ansiedade social. Os objetivos foram avaliar os efeitos terapêuticos do programa de intervenção e o simulador quanto à capacidade de gerar senso de presença e respostas de ansiedade. O programa consistiu em: (a) sessão inicial, (b) linha de base, (c) intervenção com exposição à RV, (d) encerramento e (e) follow up (1 e 3 meses após a intervenção). O senso de presença, ansiedade e respostas galvânicas da pele foram registrados em cada sessão com exposição e inventários de ansiedade, depressão e fobia social ao término de cada fase. Foram formuladas análises funcionais baseadas na ocorrência de comportamentos apresentados em contexto social no intervalo entre as sessões. O simulador produziu ansiedade e níveis elevados de presença ao longo das exposições; e ambos participantes apresentaram redução dos níveis de ansiedade ao fim do programa e generalização para o contexto natural. Conclui-se que a intervenção com exposição à RV apresentou efeito terapêutico e promoveu repertório de enfrentamento frente a situações de interação social.

Resumen La realidad virtual (RV) fue empleada en este estudio como herramienta terapéutica en un programa de intervención analítico-conductual para dos participantes con trastorno de ansiedad social. Los objetivos fueron evaluar los efectos terapéuticos del programa de intervención y el simulador en cuanto a la capacidad de generar presencia y respuestas de ansiedades. El programa consistió en: (a) sesión inicial, (b) línea base, (c) intervención con exposición a la RV, (d) finalización y (e) seguimiento (1 y 3 meses después de la intervención). La sensación de presencia, ansiedad y la respuesta galvánica de la pele fueron registrados en cada sesión con exposición y inventario de la ansiedad, depresión y fobia social al final de cada fase. Análisis funcionales fueron formulados en base a la ocurrencia de las conductas de interacción social en el intervalo entre las sesiones. El simulador produce ansiedad y niveles elevados de presencia a lo largo de las exposiciones y ambos participantes presentaron reducción de los niveles de ansiedad al final de lo programa, con generalización de los resultados para un contexto natural. Se concluye que la intervención analítico-conductual con la exposición a la RV tuvo efecto terapéutico y aprendieron un repertorio de afrontamiento de esas situaciones.

Abstract Virtual Reality (VR) was used in this study as a therapeutic tool in a behavior-analytic intervention with two subjects who had social anxiety disorder. The goals were to assess the therapeutic effects of the intervention program and the VR simulator with regard to the ability to generate sense of presence and anxiety responses. The program consisted of: (a) initial session, (b) baseline, (c) intervention sessions with exposure to VR, (d) closing session, (e) follow up (up to one and three months after treatment). Sense of presence, anxiety and galvanic skin response were reported in each exposure therapy session and anxiety, depression and social phobia inventories were reported at the end of each stage. Functional analyses were formulated based on behaviors occurring in social contexts between sessions. The simulator produced anxiety and high levels of presence during exposure; and both participants had reduced levels of anxiety at the end of intervention and generalization to the natural context. In conclusion, behavior-analytic intervention with exposure to VR was effective and fostered a repertoire for coping with situations of social interaction.

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ABSTRACT Objective Social anxiety disorder (SAD) and body image dissatisfaction (BID) are common problems among college students, but few studies focused on medical students. We aimed to estimate the prevalence, severity and correlates of SAD symptoms and BID among medical students of a Brazilian public university. Methods A cross-sectional study with 479 students, using structured instruments: Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ), and Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Bivariate analyses were followed by logistic regression models to obtain independent predictors of SAD symptoms, BID and both outcomes combined. Results Most students were single (99%) and female (58.7%). The prevalence rates of SAD symptoms (SPIN ≥ 19) and BID (BSQ ≥ 81) were 36.3% and 34.7%, respectively. Depressive symptoms (BDI ≥ 19) occurred in 8.8% of the sample. SAD symptoms were independently associated with: BID, thoughts of abandoning the course, difficulty making friends, depressive symptoms, and mental health treatment prior to university. Besides SAD symptoms, BID was associated with female sex, difficulty making friends, depressive symptoms, and body mass index (BMI). Seventy-eight students (16.3%) presented SAD symptoms and BID, which was associated with female sex, difficulty making friends, dissatisfaction with the course, depressive symptoms and BMI. Conclusion SAD symptoms and BID are common and related problems that should be screened for among medical students. The identification of specific correlates could contribute to the elaboration of preventive measures, minimizing the distress and negative impact of these mental health problems on relationships and academic performance.

RESUMO Objetivo O transtorno de ansiedade social (TAS) e a insatisfação com a imagem corporal (IIC) são problemas comuns em estudantes universitários, mas poucos estudos avaliaram estudantes de Medicina. O objetivo do estudo foi estimar a prevalência, a gravidade e os correlatos de sintomas de TAS e IIC em estudantes de Medicina de uma universidade pública brasileira. Métodos Estudo transversal com 479 estudantes utilizando os seguintes instrumentos de avaliação estruturados: Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Body Shape Questionnaire (BSQ) e Beck Depression Inventory (BDI). Análises bivariadas foram seguidas de modelos de regressão logística para identificar preditores independentes de sintomas de TAS, IIC e ambos os desfechos combinados. Resultados A maioria dos estudantes era solteira (99%) e do sexo feminino (58,7%). As prevalências de sintomas de TAS (SPIN ≥ 19) e de ICC (BSQ ≥ 81) foram de 36,3% e 34,7%, respectivamente. Sintomas depressivos (BDI ≥ 19) ocorreram em 8,8% da amostra. Sintomas de TAS associaram-se de modo independente com: IIC, pensamentos de abandonar o curso, dificuldade de fazer amigos, sintomas depressivos e tratamento de saúde mental antes de ingressar na universidade. Além de sintomas de TAS, IIC associou-se com sexo feminino, dificuldade de fazer amigos, sintomas depressivos e índice de massa corporal (IMC). Setenta e oito estudantes (16,3%) apresentaram sintomas de TAS e IIC, o que se associou com sexo feminino, dificuldade de fazer amigos, insatisfação com o curso, sintomas depressivos e IMC. Conclusão Sintomas de TAS e IIC são problemas comuns e inter-relacionados que devem ser rastreados em estudantes de Medicina. A identificação de correlatos específicos pode contribuir para a elaboração de medidas preventivas minimizando o sofrimento e o impacto negativo desses problemas de saúde mental nos relacionamentos e no desempenho acadêmico desses estudantes.

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Cognitive distortions are thought to be central to the development and maintenance of anxiety disorders and are a widely acknowledged treatment target in cognitive-behavioral interventions. However, little research has focused on the measurement of cognitive distortions. The Cognitive Distortions Questionnaire (CD-Quest; de Oliveira, 2015), a brief, 15-item questionnaire, assesses the frequency and intensity of cognitive distortions. The CD-Quest has been shown to have sound psychometric properties in American, Australian, and Brazilian undergraduate samples and one Turkish-speaking outpatient clinical sample. The current study aimed to provide the first evaluation of the psychometric properties of the English version of the CD-Quest in a clinical sample and the first evaluation of any version of the CD-Quest in a sample of adults diagnosed with social anxiety disorder (SAD). In a sample of treatment-seeking adults with SAD, the CD-Quest demonstrated good convergent validity, discriminant validity, known-groups validity, and treatment sensitivity. It also showed good internal consistency, and both confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses supported the previously reported unitary factor structure. Findings extend prior research indicating the reliability and validity of the CD-Quest.

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Resumen El objetivo del presente estudio fue analizar en muestras mexicanas las propiedades psicométricas del Inventario de Fobia Social (Social Phobia Inventory, SPIN). Los participantes consistieron en estudiantes universitarios, pacientes diagnosticados con trastorno de ansiedad social y pacientes con trastorno de ansiedad generalizada. El SPIN mostró una alta consistencia interna, una buena confiabilidad test-retest y una adecuada validez convergente y discriminante. Al analizar la estructura interna, el modelo que manifestó mejores indicadores de ajuste fue el de tres factores correlacionados. El análisis de curvas ROC indicó que el SPIN es capaz de discriminar entre los trastornos de ansiedad social y de ansiedad generalizada; un punto de corte de 25 representó el mejor balance entre sensibilidad y especificidad. Se concluye que la versión en español del SPIN demuestra propiedades psicométricas sólidas, por lo que puede ser potencialmente utilizado como instrumento de cribado para detectar el trastorno de ansiedad social en población mexicana.

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyze the psychometric properties of the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), in Mexican samples. The participants comprised university students, patients diagnosed with social anxiety and patients with generalized anxiety disorder. The SPIN demonstrated high internal consistency, good test-retest reliability, and adequate convergent and discriminate validity. Different models of the internal structure were tested, result showed better adjustment for the three correlated factor model. Analysis of ROC curves indicated that the SPIN is able to discriminate between social anxiety and generalized anxiety disorders; a cutoff of 25 represented the best balance between sensitivity and specificity. It is possible to conclude that the Spanish version of the SPIN demonstrated solid psychometric properties, and thus it could potentially be used as a screening tool for detecting social anxiety disorder in the Mexican population.

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Abstract Background The investigation of heritability stands out as an important means to establish the weight of genetic and environmental factors in the development of social anxiety disorder. Objective This study aims to make a critical review of methodological designs used in the investigation of the social anxiety disorder (SAD) heritability. Methods We reviewed 31 research articles published until October 2015 and found through the electronic search bases PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus and manual searches in the reference lists of the selected references. Most of the investigations involved adult samples and twins to assess heritability. Results There was great variability in the screening and diagnostic instruments used in the studies, leading to different outcomes. Structural equation models proved to be the most adequate to assess SAD heritability, allowing better estimates of this aspect of the disorder. SAD heritability rates varied between 13% and 76% in the articles reviewed. Discussion We discuss methodological aspects that may affect the quality and the development of improved studies to investigate SAD heritability such as sample size, quality of screening instruments, and use of diagnostic interviews. More homogeneous investigations involving larger samples and standardized instruments and methods are desirable and opportune.

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ABSTRACT Objectives High rates of comorbidity between social anxiety disorder (SAD) and alcohol use disorders have been reported, but the predictors of this comorbidity are poorly known and most studies involve primary SAD samples. The aims were to estimate the prevalence and severity of SAD symptoms among alcohol-dependent patients and to investigate sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with SAD comorbidity, including suicidal behaviors. Methods A cross-sectional study with 53 adults who were in treatment for alcohol dependence at a Brazilian public university outpatient service. Assessment instruments Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Short Alcohol Dependence Data and Beck Depression Inventory. Bivariate analyses between the categorical outcome (Probable SAD: SPIN ≥ 19) and explanatory variables were conducted. Correlates of SPIN total and subscales scores (dimensional outcomes) were also investigated. Results The diagnosis and treatment of alcohol dependence occurred, on average, 30 years after the onset of alcohol use and 39.6% of the 53 patients (37 men and 16 women) reported alleviation of social anxiety symptoms with alcohol use. Twenty-four (45.3%) patients presented probable SAD. These patients differed from non-SAD alcohol-dependent individuals by having lower income and higher frequency of depression, suicidal ideation, suicide plans and attempts. The SPIN subscales mostly associated with suicidal behaviors were social inadequacy and social inferiority. Conclusions SAD symptoms are common among help-seeking alcohol-dependent individuals and should be directly investigated and treated, since depression and suicidality are associated with this comorbidity. Prospective studies are needed to assess the impact of SAD treatment on the clinical course of alcohol dependence.

RESUMO Objetivos Altas taxas de comorbidade têm sido descritas entre o transtorno de ansiedade social (TAS) e os transtornos por uso de álcool, mas os preditores dessa comorbidade são pouco conhecidos, e a maioria dos estudos envolve pacientes com diagnóstico primário de TAS. Os objetivos foram estimar a prevalência e a gravidade de sintomas de TAS em pacientes dependentes de álcool e investigar fatores sociodemográficos e clínicos associados à comorbidade com TAS, incluindo risco de suicídio. Métodos Estudo transversal com 53 adultos em tratamento ambulatorial para dependência de álcool num hospital público universitário brasileiro. Instrumentos de avaliação: Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN), Short Alcohol Dependence Data e Beck Depression Inventory. Foram conduzidas análises bivariadas entre o desfecho categorial (provável TAS: SPIN ≥ 19) e as variáveis explanatórias. Correlatos dos escores total e das subescalas da SPIN (desfechos dimensionais) também foram investigados. Resultados O diagnóstico e o tratamento da dependência de álcool ocorreram em média 30 anos após o início do uso de álcool, e 39,6% dos 53 pacientes (37 homens e 16 mulheres) relataram alívio dos sintomas de ansiedade social com o uso de álcool. Vinte e quatro (45,3%) pacientes apresentaram provável TAS. Esses pacientes diferiram dos alcoolistas sem TAS, por terem menor renda, maior frequência de depressão, ideação suicida, planos e tentativas de suicídio. As subescalas da SPIN que mais se associaram com comportamentos suicidas foram inadequação social e inferioridade social. Conclusões Sintomas de TAS são comuns em alcoolistas em tratamento e devem ser diretamente investigados e tratados, já que depressão e suicidalidade associam-se com essa comorbidade. Estudos prospectivos são necessários para investigar o impacto do tratamento do TAS no curso clínico da dependência de álcool.

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O transtorno de ansiedade social (TAS), caracterizado pelo medo ouansiedade acentuados em situações sociais, é capaz de comprometersignificativamente a qualidade de vida do indivíduo. O estudo visoudescrever o desenvolvimento de uma intervenção em grupo, baseada naTerapia Cognitivo-Comportamental, para pessoas que apresentaram os sintomas de TAS. O protocolo de tratamento utilizou as seguintes técnicas: reestruturação cognitiva, exposição às situações temidas, treino de habilidades sociais e relaxamento. O grupo foi formado por cinco voluntários acima dos 18 anos, da cidade de Juiz de Fora - Minas Gerais, os quais apresentaram pontuações elevadas em instrumentos de rastreio para o TAS. Foram realizados 16 encontros presenciais, com duração de 90 minutos. O estudo se dividiu em cinco fases: acolhimento, habituação, treinamento de habilidades, prevenção de recaída e finalização. Os resultados mostraram que os participantes tiveram melhoras, nos escores dos testes: Liebowitz, BAI e BDI (administrados antes e depois do tratamento) e nas observações clínicas realizadas, principalmente na forma de lidar com as situações sociais em pequenos grupos (participar e falar). Foi possível concluir que o protocolo de atendimento alcançou seus objetivos no tratamento do transtorno de ansiedade social. Entretanto, são necessárias alterações para que os resultados sejam provados mais satisfatoriamente. (AU)

The social anxiety disorder (SAD), characterized by fear or excessive anxiety in social situations, is able to significantly impair the quality of life of an individual. The study aimed to develop a group intervention based oncognitive-behavioral therapy for people who showed symptoms of SAD. Thetreatment protocol has used the following techniques: cognitiverestructuring, exposure to feared situations, social skills training, andrelaxation. The group was composed by five volunteers, over 18, citizens ofJuiz de Fora , Minas Gerais, which had high scores on screening instrumentsfor TAS. Were conducted 16 sessions, during 90 minutes. The study wasdivided into five phases: reception, habituation, skills training, preventingrelapse and completion. The results showed that the participants hadimprovements in test scores: Liebowitz, BAI and BDI (applied after and before the treatment) and clinical observations, especially in dealing withsocial situations in small groups (participating and speaking). It wasconcluded that the treatment protocol achieved its objectives in the treatment of social anxiety disorder, but changes are needed to the results if they prove more satisfying. (AU)

El trastorno de ansiedad social (TAS) se caracteriza por el miedo o la ansiedad acentuada em situaciones sociales. Lo é capaz de deteriorar significativamente la calidad de vida del individuo. El objetivo del estudio fue desarrollar una intervención grupal basada en la terapia cognitivoconductual para las personas que mostraban síntomas de TAS. El protocolo de tratamiento se utiliza de las siguientes técnicas: reestructuracióncognitiva, exposición a situaciones temidas, entrenamiento en habilidadessociales y de relajación. El grupo fue compuesto por cinco voluntarios,mayores de 18 años, de la ciudad de Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, que hantenido altas puntuaciones en los instrumentos de detección para TAS. Sellevaron a cabo 16 reuniones, con duración de 90 minutos. El estudio sedivide en cinco fases: recepción, habituación, entrenamiento, la prevención y la terminación. Los resultados mostraron que los participantes han tenido una mejora en las puntuaciones de las pruebas: Liebowitz, BAI y BDI (aplicado antes y después del tratamiento) y observaciones clínicas, principalmente en el tratamiento de las situaciones sociales en grupos pequeños (participar y hablar). Se ha concluido que el protocolo de tratamiento logró sus objetivos en el tratamiento del trastorno de ansiedad social, pero se necesitan cambios en los resultados si prueban más satisfactoria. (AU)

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