Exploring the suitability of the Clark and Wells (1995) model of social anxiety in autistic adults: The role of mental imagery and fear of negative evaluation.

ABSTRACT: Around 50% of autistic adults meet diagnostic criteria for social anxiety disorder based on self-report questionnaires. Among non-autistic adults with social anxiety, distorted negative self-imagery in social situations stemming from fear of negative evaluation from observers can be corrected in cognitive therapy via video feedback. However, the role of social imagery in the maintenance of social anxiety has not been explored in autistic adults. This study examined in 62 autistic adults: (1) quality of social imagery elicited during social situations; (2) how image qualities were related to self-reported levels of social anxiety and fear of negative evaluation when accounting for co-occurring generalised anxiety. Many autistic adults reported social imagery from a field (i.e., looking thro

SUBMITTER: Lei J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12717292 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature