Anxiety affects nearly two out of every ten adults. Our research in this field examines the effectiveness of Cognitive-Behavioral (CBT) and Psychodynamic interventions for social anxiety. Our goal is to help patients cope with social anxiety, reduce chronic worry, boost self-confidence, and alleviate the physical symptoms of anxiety. This research integrates phenomenological, cognitive, behavioral, and biological measures of emotional responses.

This research area is led by Prof. Eva Gilboa-Schechtman, a prominent researcher and therapist specializing in anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).

Azoulay, R., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2024). CyberStatus: Responses to status manipulation and fears of positive and negative evaluations. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 103, Article 102845. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2024.102845

Azoulay, R., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2024). Specificity of cost and probability biases in social anxiety: Comparing status and belongingness threats. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 63(3), 362–378. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjc.12472

Azoulay, R., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2024). The anticipated impact of status and belongingness losses in social anxiety: A comparison between evolutionary models. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 101, Article 102800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2023.102800

Azoulay, H. D., Pinus, M., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2025). Post-traumatic distress following physical and social stressors: A comparison of symptom networks. Cognitive Therapy and Research. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-025-10586-w

Blay, Y., Keshet, H., Friedman, L., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2021). Interpersonal motivations in social anxiety: Weakened approach and intensified avoidance motivations for affiliation and social rank. Personality and Individual Differences, 177, Article 110790. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2021.110790

Ginat-Frolich, R., Gilboa-Schechtman, E., Huppert, J. D., Aderka, I. M., Alden, L. E., Bar-Haim, Y., Becker, E. S., Bernstein, A., Geva, R., Heimberg, R. G., Hofmann, S. G., Kashdan, T. B., Koster, E. H. W., Lipsitz, J., Maner, J. K., Moscovitch, D. A., Philippot, P., Rapee, R. M., Roelofs, K., ... & Wieser, M. J. (2024). Vulnerabilities in social anxiety: Integrating intra- and interpersonal perspectives. Clinical Psychology Review, 109, Article 102415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2024.102415

Gilboa-Schechtman, E., Huppert, J. D., & Ginat-Frolich, R. (2024). Social anxiety from the perspective of affiliation and status systems: Intrapersonal representations and the dynamics of interpersonal interaction. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 33(1), 3–10. https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214231202488

Hay, D., Bleicher, S., Azoulay, R., Kivity, Y., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2023). Affective and cognitive impact of social overinclusion: A meta-analytic review of Cyberball studies. Cognition and Emotion, 37(3), 412–429. https://doi.org/10.1080/02699931.2022.2163619

Klein, Z., Zabag, R., Hay, D., Levy-Gigi, E., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2025). On bias and balance: Updating agentic and communal self-beliefs in social anxiety and depression. Behaviour Research and Therapy. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2026.104700

Lavi-Rotenberg, A., Gilboa-Schechtman, E., & Hasson-Ohayon, I. (2024). Beyond one's attitude toward the self: The role of social anxiety in self-stigma among individuals with schizophrenia. The Journal of Nervous and Mental Disease, 212(1), 28–32. https://doi.org/10.1097/NMD.0000000000001724

Perets, N., Hay, D., Azoulay, R., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2025). Exclusion memories in social anxiety. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 49, 835–845. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-024-10570-1

Rachamim, O., Azoulay, R., Keshet, H., Shachar, G., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2023). Apprehensions and aspirations in social anxiety and depression. International Journal of Cognitive Therapy, 16, 123–142. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41811-022-00150-4

Rozen, N., Gilboa-Schechtman, E., Marom, S., Hermesh, H., & Aderka, I. (2022). Comorbid major depressive disorder in cognitive behavioral group treatment for social anxiety disorder: An examination of the process of symptom change. Psychotherapy, 59(4), 561–570. https://doi.org/10.1037/pst0000421

Zabag, R., Azoulay, R., Rinck, M., Becker, E., Levy-Gigi, E., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2023). Updating negative impression: Social anxiety is associated with impaired positive updating of interpersonal information. Personality and Individual Differences, 203, Article 111993. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2022.111993

Zabag, R., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E., & Levy-Gigi, E. (2022). Reacting to a changing environment: Updating patterns in social anxiety. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 157, Article 104159. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2022.104159

Zabag, R., Kivity, Y., Gilboa-Schechtman, E., & Levy-Gigi, E. (2024). Better social reversal learning is associated with a more social approach across time. Scientific Reports, 14(1), Article 8443. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-58716-5

Zabag, R., Mouadeb, D., Haim-Nachum, S., Levy-Gigi, E., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2025). Temporal dynamics of social anxiety and depressive symptoms: The moderating role of cognitive flexibility. Depression and Anxiety, 2025, Article 3055803. https://doi.org/10.1155/da/3055803

Azoulay, R., Avigdol, L., & Gilboa-Schechtman, E. (2023). Social anxiety and accumulation of status loss events: The role of adulthood experiences. British Journal of Clinical Psychology, 62(4), 698–712. https://doi.org/10.1111/bjcp.12438