abstract
- Previous research on individuals with anxiety disorders has demonstrated that both childhood peer maltreatment and concerns about negative self-portrayal are related to elevated symptoms of social anxiety (SA). In the present study, we examined whether concerns about negative self-portrayal might either moderate or mediate the relation between recalled childhood teasing history and current symptoms of SA in a non-treatment-seeking clinical sample of 238 individuals with anxiety disorders. Participants completed the Teasing Questionnaire-Revised (TQ-R), the Negative Self-Portrayal Scale (NSPS), and the Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN). Analyses using structural equation modeling (SEM) indicated that self-portrayal concerns mediated, but did not moderate, the relationship between recalled teasing and current SA, accounting for 51% of the total effect. Clinical implications and directions for future research are discussed.