The UTC Graduate School is pleased to announce that Griffin Randolph will present Master's research titled, STRESS AND VIGILANCE TOWARD SOCIAL APPROVAL VERSUS DISAPPROVAL: ASSESSING THE INTERACTIONS BETWEEN CHILDHOOD MALTREATMENT SEVERITY AND COPING STYLES AMONG HIGHLY SOCIALLY ANXIOUS YOUNG ADULTS on 06/26/2024 at 10AM in Psychology Bldg. 540 McCallie Ave., Room 394. Everyone is invited to attend. 

Psychology

Chair: Dr. Ashley N. Howell

Co-Chair: Dr. Jill Shelton, Dr. Brett Eschman

Abstract:

Childhood maltreatment and stressful life experiences can be a factor and an impact on how social anxiety develops. The prevalence of childhood maltreatment has high incidence rates and increases the risk of behavioral, cognitive, emotional, and social repercussions later in life, including social anxiety. Exposure to childhood maltreatment may affect behavioral changes in facial processing (i.e., emotional facial expressions) and heightened attention allocation to threat-related stimuli. Additionally, previous literature suggests socially anxious young adults use maladaptive coping to avoid negative social outcomes. This study aimed to further establish the relationship between retrospective reports of childhood maltreatment severity and social anxiety among young adults. This was achieved by constructing a real-time social interaction via Zoom to evaluate social anxiety severity and maladaptive coping. This approach allowed for the collection of objective behavioral and physiological data, in addition to self-report measures.