Identifying the Components Shaping Incapacitating Beliefs in Patients with Social Phobia: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the components shaping incapacitating beliefs in patients with social phobia. This research employed a qualitative design using thematic analysis. Participants consisted of 20 patients with social phobia from Tehran, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected via semi-structured interviews, continued until theoretical saturation was achieved, and analyzed using NVivo software based on the stages of thematic analysis. The findings indicated that three main categories play a crucial role in shaping incapacitating beliefs: formative early experiences (such as social failures, insufficient family support, bullying, and lack of successful social experiences), dysfunctional cognitive patterns (including catastrophic thinking, low self-worth, negative social comparison, and overgeneralization), and emotional-behavioral responses (including avoidance of social situations, physiological anxiety symptoms, masking, and self-blame after interactions). Understanding the components shaping incapacitating beliefs in patients with social phobia can facilitate the development of targeted therapeutic interventions and help prevent the persistence of the disorder. Attention to patients’ lived experiences and contextual factors plays a key role in the effectiveness of psychological treatments.