Nonverbal synchrony is a growing area of interest in social anxiety disorder (SAD), but a systematic overview is lacking. This scoping review maps existing research on nonverbal synchrony between individuals with high social anxiety and others to identify characteristics, measurement methods, and knowledge gaps.
Methods
Following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, we conducted a scoping review of four major databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and PsycINFO), two trial registries (WHO ICTRP and ClinicalTrials.gov), and citation searching. The included studies investigated interindividual nonverbal synchrony (e.g., body movement, physiological, vocal) in individuals with diagnosed or high social anxiety.
Results
From 1,503 records, 12 studies were included in the review. Individuals with high social anxiety showed difficulties in body, vocal, and physiological synchrony, especially when in leadership roles. Body-movement synchrony, measured mainly by motion energy analysis, was the most common approach. Social anxiety severity and therapeutic alliance were key associated indicators.
Conclusions
Individuals with high social anxiety show context- and role-dependent synchrony difficulties. Research in this field is dominated by body movement analysis, revealing a gap regarding other modalities, especially neural measures like inter-brain synchrony. Multimodal, ecologically valid, and culturally diverse research is needed to advance understanding and develop targeted interventions for SAD.
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