Understanding Social Anxiety in people with Parkinson's disease V1
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Towards a better understanding of anxiety in people with Parkinson's disease: How well can a cognitive behavioural model account for social anxiety experienced in this population?
IRAS ID
242231
Contact name
Kirsty Nash
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Univeristy of Bath
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Not applicable, not applicable
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 9 months, 31 days
Research summary
Research Summary
This study aims to better understand the factors that predict mental health problems in people who have long term conditions that affect their health. In particular we are interested in understanding the factors that predict social anxiety in people with Parkinson’s Disease (PD). This study will look at a psychological model of social anxiety, developed and tested in the general population, and see whether it provides a good explanation of social anxiety for people who have PD. This will help guide clinicians in the future treatment of mental health problems such as social anxiety for people who have Parkinson’s Disease.
The primary research questions will focus on understanding whether key factors in the psychological model of social anxiety (namely, a person's thoughts or cognitions, their behaviours and their focus of attention during social situations) account for social anxiety experienced in this population. Simple linear regression will be used to see if each of the variables in the psychological model is associated with social anxiety in people with PD. Multiple Regression will then be used to look at the power of each of the variables at predicting social anxiety in PD compared to factors of PD itself that might influence social anxiety such as the length of time since diagnosis and the severity of PD symptoms.
The secondary research questions will consider the relationship between social anxiety and quality of life (QoL) and psychological distress more generally. Regression analysis will be used to address these secondary research questions.Summary of Results
What we did Social anxiety has been identified as a common problem for people with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease. However, it is not clear why this is.
There is good evidence to show that our thoughts, where we focus our attention, and the things we do to try and feel safe in a social situation, are all factors that can predict how much we experience social anxiety in the general population. These factors and their association with the level of social anxiety experienced, have not been looked at in people with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease.
In Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease, other factors such as the motor symptoms experienced (which may vary from person to person and change over time), and the progression of the disease may also play a part.
This study therefore aimed to look at the associations between the different factors that might impact social anxiety in people with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease to try and identify those that are most influential.
We asked 124 people with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease to complete some questionnaires to tell us about their experiences.
What we found
The results of the study showed that just like in the general population, for the participants in the study, the thoughts they experienced and the things they did to try and feel safe in a social situation, were associated and predictive of the level of social anxiety they experienced. Other factors such as sex, and the amount of anxiety and depressions they experienced were also associated with the level of social anxiety they experienced.
Both these factors, the thoughts we experience and the things we do to feel safe when feeling anxious, are factors that can change, and are often targets of talking therapies such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT). Therefore, the study provides some initial evidence that social anxiety experienced by people with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease could in theory benefit from psychological therapy such as CBT, and is not an inevitable consequence of having Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease that people should put up with.
Clinicians supporting people with Idiopathic Parkinson’s Disease should therefore be asking their patients about social anxiety, and refer them for appropriate psychological treatment if this is an identified problem for them.REC name
East of Scotland Research Ethics Service REC 1
REC reference
18/ES/0140
Date of REC Opinion
7 Jan 2019
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion