Looming cognitive style as a predictor of social anxiety

Looming Cognitive Style (LCS) has been proposed as a cognitive vulnerability factor specific to anxiety. This study aims to investigate the predictive role of LCS on trait and state social anxiety. With this purpose, for social anxiety manipulation, 30 participants were asked to make a short presentation about themselves. This relationship of concern was aimed to be investigated by assessing LCS and social anxiety assessments taken prior to the presentation. In this regard, the Demographic Information Form, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Questionnaire, Looming Maladaptive Style Questionnaire-Revised (LMSQ-R), State Social Looming Questionnaire, and Visual Analogue Scales for anxiety level were used to gather data from the participants. In order to test and finalize the applied procedure, pilot studies were conducted and expert opinions were taken prior to the main study. The results yielded by correlation and regression analysis showed that LCS and trait social anxiety were positively correlated, and state social looming predicted the change in anxiety. A significant relationship between trait LCS and state social looming or trait social anxiety and state social anxiety could not be found. The findings were debated in the light of relevant previous research, and possible contributions of the study to the literature and clinical practice were discussed.