Associations of social anxiety and self-esteem across six months for persons living with schizophrenia spectrum disorders.
OBJECTIVE
Social anxiety is commonly found in schizophrenia and is linked with heightened symptoms and lower self-esteem. The purpose of this paper is to examine how social anxiety and self-esteem influence one another over time.


METHODS
We have assessed social anxiety, symptoms, and self-esteem at two points, six months apart, for 39 participants with schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder.


RESULTS
Concurrent measures of social anxiety and self-esteem were closely correlated with one another. Multiple regressions indicated that baseline self-esteem was significantly correlated with social anxiety six months later, independent of the influence of social anxiety at baseline. Social anxiety at baseline did not predict self-esteem at six months when baseline self-esteem was controlled for statistically.


CONCLUSIONS
Lower self-esteem may be a risk factor for the development of social anxiety in individuals with schizophrenia. Clinical and theoretical implications are discussed.
Lysaker
Paul H
PH
Roudebush VA Medical Center, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN 46202, USA. plysaker@iupui.edu
Ringer
Jamie M
JM
Davis
Louanne W
LW
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D012559:Schizophrenia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012565:Schizophrenic Psychology; D012649:Self Concept; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors