Shifting as a key executive function underlying cognitive restructuring for individuals with elevated social anxiety.

Poorer shifting ability with regard to non-emotional stimuli in clients with elevated social anxiety may be related to poorer ability to produce helpful alternative thoughts during cognitive restructuring. For clinicians whose clients with elevated social anxiety are having difficulty with generating alternative thoughts during cognitive restructuring, clinicians should consider poor shifting ability as a potential contributing factor. Clinicians may need to provide further support for such clients during cognitive restructuring (e.g., greater emphasis on Socratic questioning to better facilitate alternative thinking).