1

Kalkhe social phobia:

Students name:

Course:

Professor:

Institution:

Date:

Abstract:

Online training is more efficient in reducing social phobia this is due to its nature of accessibility and

flexibility. Many people find it easier to learn and access their interactions online rather than physically.

Since social phobia is fear or anxiety that people will judge you negatively, online training reduces

anxiety by a significant margin. This is because the people who conduct the training are strangers to the

trainees. It makes it easier for trainees to express their fears since they are sure the other party does not

know. They are confident that their fears will not be exposed to those who know them. This training also

increases thinking capacity and sharpens skills in doing more research that concerns one's fears and

anxiety. The affected people find it easier to overcome their fears by doing independent research through

the internet after training. The outcome of online training is a positive one on the basis that the trainees

are not prone to exposure to their closest relatives or even friends. They are determined to overcome their

fears without the judgment of their closest friends. Online training contributes to a significant

improvement in the trainees’ ability to reason fast and independently adjust to their fears. Recovery of the
 2

trainees from their anxiety cannot be fully predicted to be 100%, but a more significant percentage of the

same is guaranteed.

The most visible claim used in the article is the frequency claim. A frequency claim is based on

the mention of the percentage number of people who participated in an activity. According to the article,

200 participants were picked randomly to participate. Under the methods, chapter two subtitle procedures,

the participants of the social interaction scale anxiety scale were 32 to those of sensory processing

sensitivity 2. The percentage of interviews conducted by phone was 20% of the randomly selected cases.

The figures assert that the frequent claim was evident in that there is a percentage of the number that took

part in the activity.

The method of research used is experimental. Experimental research strictly adheres to scientific

research, which includes hypotheses. The researcher can manipulate the study as the conditions are

strictly controlled. The variables can be measured and compared. In the article, the number of participants

is countable. There is also a comparison between people with sensory processing sensitivity(SPS) and

people with social interaction anxiety scales (SIAS). The research gives the outcome of its findings based

on comparison and manipulation of the data collected from the participants.

The main hypotheses in the article were SPS and SIAS. SPS was one of the research that three

studies tried to answer. This attempt was made by giving the participants a task based on the following

interventions: nine text-based sessions and other exercises such as attention training and diaries. These

practices were aimed at identifying the challenge of negative thoughts. The first three interventions

enhance motivations, psychoeducation, and identification and modification of negative thoughts using a

diary. Three interventions all incline to the SPS hypothesis. The fourth intervention consisted of fear of

positive evaluation(FPE). This module taught the patients to modify and identify the FPE-related

cognitions, which helped them overcome self-compassion and accept their positive emotions. This

module explains the hypothesis of SIAS, which deals with interactions with other people.
 3

The primary conceptual variable was the measured assessment of social anxiety disorder

symptoms through SIAS and SPS. The two types of research complemented each other in attaining the

progress or achievement of the participants. The SIAS explores general fears of social interactions among

participants, like tensing. At the same time, SPS explores fears of being judged by others on their daily

errands (Kahlkhe 2018, p3). The variables were operationalized by giving the participants questionnaires

to fill. The questionnaires then established the performance of each participant. The score of each

participant reflected how the treatment worked on them and showed how much progress they had made in

a given period.

For every independent variable, there are dependent variables; in this case, there are two

dependent variables. One is fear of the positive evaluation scale(FPSE), and the second disqualify the

positive social outcome scale(DPSOS). FPES was measured through DPSOS, showing that the two are

bonded. The two were operationalized by assessing general psychopathology with nine dimensions. The

dimensions include insecurity in social situations, compulsivity, depressiveness, and anxiety. The

dependent values were operationalized to justify the scientific scale of measurement. It was an essential

process as it would help other researchers in the future to adhere to the same method.

There were 200 participants, all selected through a two-arm randomized controlled design. All

participants selected had to be aged 18 years and above. All the participants were recruited from three

countries, namely Germany, Australia, and Switzerland. The participants who were either at risk of

suicide or diagnosed with mental disorders were excluded from the study. The participants were given an

intervention weekly which they were to work on while revising the exercise, and results and findings

were to be filled in a diary (Kalkhe, 2018 p3). Both cogitative behavioral therapy(CBT) and waitlist

control group (WLC) were allocated 100 people each.

The participants filled out questionnaires and received interventions based on the cognitive

behavioral treatment model. The intervention consisted of nine various sessions, exercises, and attention

training. They also filled out diaries aimed at identifying negative thoughts(Kalkhe, 2018, p3). The
 4

participants filled in different information from each other. Although they were given the same tasks and

the same exercise, their responses differed from each other, while others were not able to complete the

tasks.

SAD was the primary hypothesis tested; SIAS and SPS were essential in completing the measure

of SAD. The outcome of both results concluded to which extent one was affected by SAD. The progress

of each participant was recorded to show their healing progress. The recovery of each one of the

participants varied from the others. Based on the research, a participant was free from the symptoms if

they scored 17 or below on the SPS and 26or on the SIAS. The main results bearing hypothesis were

treatment adherence and other treatments, which on average, participants were to complete the nine

sessions (Kalkhe, 2018 p4). As the sessions went on from session one to session nine, the percentage of

participants completing the sessions decreased, which further shows the frequency claim made by the

authors.

Reliability refers to the consistency of measure, which was accurately implemented in the

research article. This information is evident when the participants take test sessions which are nine in

total. Each session had scores and the percentage number of participants who made it to the next session.

For instance, in session one, 96% were able to complete the session. The data provided is the percentage

number of participants who were able to progress from one session on to the next session till the last

session, which varies from 96% in session one and 21% in the last session. There was also data provided

on the average age of the participants, which was 26.7 years.

The research was based on a frequency claim specifying controlled conditions to get the desired

results. At the same time, construct validation concerns the extent to which a test is measured accurately

to assess what is supposed to be researched. Based on the definitions of the independent and dependent

variables, the research has strong construct validity. This is because the measurements that took place

were accurate based on the method of research that was employed. The participants took part in tests that

were essential in giving out the desired results of the research.

 5

External validity is the extent to which the findings in research can be generalized to other

situations or settings more broadly from the initial perspective. In the case of our article, the study can be

broadly implemented by other people. By following the procedure carried out in conducting the study,

one can transfer the details to different settings, and the findings wouldn't differ. The research has a strong

external validity since it can be carried out with other people or a different seating, and the results will

remain the same or have a similarity.

Covariation is a relationship between two variables that are directly proportional in such that an

increase in one contributes to an increase in the other. Similarly, a decrease contributes to a decrease in

the other. (VandenBos, 2015). According to the study results of the participants who completed the

study and provided their data, the results were very similar. For instance, people with a fear of negative

evaluation also tend to have a high fear of positive evaluation. Even though both are the treatment of

SAD, they definitely co-exist. This proves that the study established a covariance.

Temporal precedence is establishing that the cause of something must occur before the effects. In

an instance, the independent variable must occur before the dependent variable. In our case, SIAS, which

is an independent variable, came before FPES, which is a dependent variable. For one to assess FPES had

to assess SIAS first. This proves that the study had temporal precedence since it first established SIAS

and SPS before establishing FPES and DPOS.

The third variable problem, or the confounding variable, is one that the researcher was unable to

control hence bringing damage to the validity of the study. In the article, there was no confounding

variable. This is because the study was considered s frequency claim, which elaborates that the research is

done in a controlled environment and conditions. It further explains that the researcher can manipulate the

results to his desired outcomes, which doesn't give room for a confounding variable. Thus the study had

no third variable from the perspective of the article.

 6

The nature of the research used was descriptive. Descriptive research focuses on describing the

characteristics of a population by collecting data used to answer a wide range of questions that pertain to

a particular group of people. The research in the article was based on university students. The research

also entailed the details of their minimum age. There were questionnaires that were filled out by the

participants, m they also did other tasks to complete the experiment. Therefore, the conclusion by the

authors matches the research method. While conclusion, they give the data on how many participants

managed to complete the study and how they progressed in the study.

Descriptive research does not answer the question of how, when, and why particular events

happened. Thus I would incorporate questions and methods that will answer the questions. The proposal

would resolve the issues by providing a clear answer to how the events came to happen. With the

knowledge of how the events happened, there would also be a place of concurrency and the cause of the

occurrence. The proposal would be able to provide full information on why the event happened and its

cause. This would give future researchers an easier way to conduct their research and also give the

readers a clear view of how the events transpired.

Empirical research is based on the observation of events as directly experienced by the

researcher. Thus empirical evidence is first-hand evidence. There is empirical evidence that supports the

research between web-based and face-to-face methodologies. An example of empirical evidence in the

article between web-based and face-to-face methodology is the collection of data (NIHR Health

Protection Research Unit in Healthcare Associated Infections and antimicrobial resistance) (.

Interpersonal psychotherapy(IPT) is a treatment platform where people assess the treatment using

smartphones, tablets, and computers. There is also internet-delivered cognitive behavior therapy (CBT).

These two methods were adapted to provide a solution treatment of SAD in the same journal a mobile

phone administration (Mcbt)was adapted (Dagöö et al., 2014). The two methodologies were tested, and
 7

it was found out t that (CBT) was more accurate and progressive than IPT. Immediately after treatment,

the ICBT group showed significant outcomes on the SIAS. Every significant change gain was well

maintained a year later. Knowledge, as assessed by the knowledge test, was found to increase( Andersson

et al.). There was mixed effect -models showed a significant time effect on the three measures of SAD

that indicated great improvement in each measure((Hedman1 et al.)

All the journals reflected the credibility of ICBT as a treatment for SAD. According to the three

journals, there is improvement in all the SAD measures. Although there were differences in their results,

the progress was positive. All the data in the three journals were similar to the article provided for

research. The bottom line of the study in all articles showed great improvement in the participants. The

results based on a five-year span showed that the effects could endure in the long run. The claim of fact

was the claim most visible in the assigned article, and it's a claim that argues with factual evidence, which

can be approved or disapproved using factual evidence. All three journals used factual claims in their

research.

References:

Hedman1, E., Furmark2, T., Carlbring3, P., Ljótsson1, B., Rück1, C., Lindefors1, N., Andersson1,

G., Neuroscience, 1D. of C., & Hedman, C. A. E. (n.d.). A 5-year follow-up of internet-based

cognitive behavior therapy for Social Anxiety Disorder. Journal of Medical Internet Research. Retrieved

November 4, 2022, from https://www.jmir.org/2011/2/e39/

Andersson, G., Carlbring, P., Furmark, T., & on behalf of the S. O. F. I. E. Research Group.

(n.d.). Therapist experience and knowledge acquisition in internet-delivered CBT for Social Anxiety
 8

Disorder: A randomized controlled trial. PLOS ONE. Retrieved November 4, 2022, from

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0037411

Redirecting. (n.d.). Retrieved November 4, 2022, from

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.02.003