Cultivate social confidence in yourself and others

Confidence

Quality of Evidence

The evidence supporting the importance of cultivating social confidence is of moderate to high quality. There is a substantial body of research indicating that social confidence, characterized by high self-esteem and self-efficacy is associated with positive social outcomes and overall mental health. Indeed, social cognitions, which include one’s self-image and self-knowledge, are observed to play key roles in shaping social behaviour. Individuals with a fear of negative evaluation or who view social interactions as unrewarding experience worse social wellbeing outcomes. Adopting a positive sense of oneself and avoiding negative assumptions about how others feel about you is thus key to pursuing a healthy social life. Of course, there is less high-quality evidence relating to how individuals can achieve these outcomes. While cognitive behavioural therapy and other psychotherapies appear to have benefits, the studies demonstrating these effects vary in methodological quality and the significance of short-term studies with limited follow-up periods can be difficult to interpret. As such, we assess the quality of evidence related to this guideline to be of moderate quality.

Balance of Benefits and Harms

Enhancing social confidence can lead to greater social engagement, reduced social anxiety, and improved mental health. Potential harms include temporary discomfort or frustration when confronting social fears and potential hazards associated with directing an individual's attentional focus towards the self. The guideline’s emphasis on gradual steps and seeking support as needed partially addresses these potential harms. However, there is a possibility that individuals may become frustrated as they try to take even small steps. This frustration can cause distress and might even further erode self-confidence. To address this, the guidance encourages individuals to be thoughtful about reaching out for support when they find these experiences difficult. Taken together, we believe the balance of benefits versus harms of cultivating social confidence is in favor of benefits.

Alignment with Values and Preferences

This guideline is likely to align well with the values and preferences of individuals who struggle with social anxiety or low social confidence. The recommendation acknowledges the common challenges associated with social interaction and offers compassionate, practical strategies to overcome them. This approach is likely to be highly acceptable to those who value personal growth, social connection, and mental wellbeing, although it may be less relevant to individuals who do not experience significant social anxiety or confidence issues. Some may critique the guideline for placing too much emphasis on individual responsibility given that much of our sense of self and our social experience is beyond our control. Nevertheless, despite these challenges, the guideline and additional considerations seek to clarify these issues.

Certainty of Recommendation

Based on our assessment of the above criteria, we are confident that cultivating social confidence is important to shaping wellbeing. Our primary reservations relate to the potential difficulties individuals may face as they strive to overcome challenging social cognitions. Nevertheless, we believe the likelihood that additional information or evidence would cause us to reverse this recommendation is low.

Overall Assessment

Based on the criteria above, the overall rating for this guideline is Strong Recommendation, Moderate Quality of Evidence.