Social phobia in Swedish adolescents : prevalence and gender differences.
BACKGROUND
The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of self-reported social phobia in a community sample of Swedish adolescents in junior high school, at the risk-period for developing social phobia. Of particular interest was to investigate gender differences in prevalence across ages. Prevalence of sub-threshold social phobia was also studied.


METHODS
Students in grades 6-8 (aged 12-14) from seventeen schools in five Swedish municipalities were screened by means of a self-report questionnaire, the social phobia screening questionnaire-for children (SPSQ-C).


RESULTS
Data from a sample of 2,128 students were analysed and showed a point-prevalence rate of 4.4% (95%CI 3.5-5.2) and a significant gender difference (6.6% girls vs. 1.8% boys, P < 0.001). No significant differences in prevalence of probable cases emerged across the ages. At sub-threshold level, marked social fear of at least one social situation was reported by 13.8% of the total group. "Speaking in front of class" and "calling someone unfamiliar on the phone" were the most feared social situations. In the social phobia group, 91.4% reported impairment in the school-domain due to their social fear.


CONCLUSIONS
Social phobia is a common psychiatric condition in Swedish adolescents, especially in girls. As impairment in the school-domain is reported to a high degree, professionals and teachers need to recognize social phobia in adolescents so that help in overcoming the difficulties can be offered.
Gren-Landell
Malin
M
Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Linköping University, 581 85, Linköping, Sweden. malgr@imk.liu.se
Tillfors
Maria
M
Furmark
Tomas
T
Bohlin
Gunilla
G
Andersson
Gerhard
G
Svedin
Carl Göran
CG
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D002648:Child; D002652:Child Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D005239:Fear / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012574:Schools; D012647:Self-Assessment; D017678:Sex Distribution; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013548:Sweden / Q000453:epidemiology