Changes and Persistence in Heart Rate Variability Before and During Social Stress: A Comparison of Individuals With Social Anxiety Disorder Before and Following Cognitive Behaviour Therapy Versus Controls.

Abstract

This thesis aimed to create a clearer picture of patterns of psychophysiological responding in individuals with social anxiety disorder at pre- and post-treatment and versus individuals without social anxiety disorder in anticipation of and within social-evaluative contexts. The thesis indicated the potential value of interventions like Cognitive Behaviour Therapy that focus on emotion regulation and physiological arousal and underscores the importance of considering both subjective and objective measures in treatment assessment.