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. 2021 Feb;45(1):74-89.
doi: 10.1007/s10608-020-10152-x. Epub 2020 Sep 12.

Development of the A-DISS rejection task to demonstrate the unique and overlapping affective features of social anxiety and depression

Renee M Cloutier  1   2 , Sarah A Bilsky  3 , Catherine Baxley  4 , Kristen G Anderson  5 , Heidemarie Blumenthal  1
Affiliations

Development of the A-DISS rejection task to demonstrate the unique and overlapping affective features of social anxiety and depression

Renee M Cloutier et al. Cognit Ther Res. 2021 Feb.

Abstract

Background: Social anxiety (SA) and depression are prevalent, often comorbid disorders, associated with poor psychosocial functioning. Experimental psychopathology approaches can clarify the transdiagnostic mechanisms underlying these disorders, but most laboratory tasks are limited. We developed and validated the Audio-Dialogue Inductions of Social Stress (A-DISS) experimental task to model real-time rejection sensitivity in a realistic and developmentally relevant context. Participants are asked to imagine overhearing peers at a party talking badly about them (Rejection) or a teacher at their school (Neutral).

Methods: Study 1 focused on identifying and refining stimuli that elicited relevant emotional responses for Rejection (e.g., increased anxiety) and Neutral (e.g., no emotional changes) conditions (N=48). Study 2 examined whether participants' SA and depression symptoms moderated the effects of A-DISS condition (N=52).

Results: The Rejection condition elicited higher negative affect/lower positive affect while the Neutral condition sustained stable affect. Findings were consistent across gender and race/ethnicity. Moderation analyses were statistically significant; participants with elevated SA or depression reported feeling more rejected, insecure, and anxious after Rejection than those with below average symptoms.

Conclusions: Findings provide preliminary validation of a novel peer rejection task for research on understanding the affective experience of real-time rejection overall, especially for those with elevated SA and depression. SA and depression symptoms each uniquely moderating the effects of Rejection exposure on similar affective states, suggests individuals with SA or depression may benefit from interventions targeting specific reactions to rejection/stress and transdiagnostic risk factors.

Keywords: Anxiety; Depression; Experimental Psychopathology; Rejection; Social Stress.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of interest Renee Cloutier, Sarah Bilsky, Catherine Baxley, Kristen Anderson, and Heidemarie Blumenthal declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1a-b.
Figure 1a-b.
Study 1: Negative emotional responding of the final selected segments across (1a) Neutral and (1b) Rejection conditions. SUDS = Subjective Units of Distress Scale; Numbers paired with ‘N’ or ‘R’ along the X axis correspond to specific segments within the Neutral and Rejection conditions, respectively.
Figure 1a-b.
Figure 1a-b.
Study 1: Negative emotional responding of the final selected segments across (1a) Neutral and (1b) Rejection conditions. SUDS = Subjective Units of Distress Scale; Numbers paired with ‘N’ or ‘R’ along the X axis correspond to specific segments within the Neutral and Rejection conditions, respectively.
Figure 2a-b.
Figure 2a-b.
Study 2: Negative emotional responding at the segment level across (2a) Neutral and (2b) Rejection conditions. SUDS = Subjective Units of Distress Scale. Numbers paired with ‘N’ or ‘R’ along the X axis correspond to specific segments within the Neutral and Rejection conditions, respectively.
Figure 3a-g.
Figure 3a-g.
Condition x time RM ANCOVA predicting Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS) during the task (segment average), one- and five-minute post task (controlling for baseline). Adjusted means and 95% CI are plotted. T1 = during task (segment average); T2 = one-minute post-task; T3 = five-minute post-task.
Figure 4a-f.
Figure 4a-f.
Statistically significant condition x social anxiety (SIAS; 4a,c,e) and condition x depression (CESD; 4b,d,f) regressions predicting relevant task (T1) Subjective Units of Distress Scale (SUDS; segment average) while controlling for baseline values as well as SA and depression symptoms.
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