The impact of social phobia tendency on positive affect: the role of perceived control and its neural correlates

Social phobia (SP) adversely affects individual as it often drives lower positive affect (PA) in social situations. This study aims to investigate the role of Lack of Control (LC) and its neural underpinnings in this process. We recruited 268 participants who completed measurements of SP tendency, LC, and PA at baseline (T1) and after two years (T2). All underwent a resting-state fMRI scan at T1. Findings revealed bidirectional associations among LC, SP tendency and PA, and the mediating effect of LC. Specifically, the LC at T1 was associated with SP tendency (β = 0.164) and PA (β = −0.191) at T2, while SP tendency (β = 0.103) and PA (β = −0.175) at T1 were associated with LC at T2. Additionally, Functional connectivity (FC) analyses and brain-behavior models further demonstrated that: (1) SP tendency at T1 was associated with LC at T2 through the FC networks involving the bilateral angular gyrus and left middle occipital gyrus (point estimate = −0.045, 95% CI [−0.070, −0.019]), and (2) LC at T2 was associated with PA at T2 via the FC networks of the left lingual gyrus, right cuneus and fusiform gyrus (point estimate = 0.040, 95% CI [0.007, 0.058]). This elucidates the cognitive and neural correlates through which SP tendency negatively affects PA, emphasizing the crucial role of LC in this relationship. Unraveling this mechanism offers a potential path for clinical interventions aimed at improving the mental health of individuals high in SP tendency.