The developmental psychopathology of social anxiety in adolescents.
To evaluate a developmental psychopathology approach for understanding adolescent social anxiety, parent-reported predictors of social anxiety were examined in a nonclinical sample of adolescents. Structured diagnostic interviews were obtained from biological parents of 770 participants. Potential risk factors assessed included child characteristics: negative affect, shyness, separation anxiety disorder, and childhood chronic illness, as well as parent characteristics: major depression, panic disorder, and agoraphobia. Adolescent social anxiety was measured multiple times during high school. Findings indicate stability in social anxiety symptoms across time. Parent-reported, childhood negative affect, shyness, and chronic illness as well as parental panic disorder or agoraphobia were associated with adolescent social anxiety. Interactions were observed between parent-reported childhood shyness and gender and between parent-reported childhood shyness and parent-reported childhood chronic illness in the prediction of social anxiety. Parent-reported childhood shyness was a stronger predictor of adolescent social anxiety in females compared to males. The combined effect of subjects being positive for both parent-reported childhood shyness and parent-reported childhood chronic illness was greater than would be expected based on additive effects. This study provides support for a multifactorial and developmentally informed understanding of adolescent social anxiety.
Hayward
Chris
C
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, Stanford University, Stanford, California 94305-5722, USA. hayward@stanford.edu
Wilson
Kimberly A
KA
Lagle
Kristy
K
Kraemer
Helena C
HC
Killen
Joel D
JD
Taylor
C Barr
CB
D000293:Adolescent; D041923:Adolescent Development; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D016241:Child of Impaired Parents / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002908:Chronic Disease / Q000453:epidemiology; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008960:Models, Psychological; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012792:Shyness; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology