title: Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A): measuring social anxiety among Finnish adolescents.
abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate symptoms of social anxiety and the psychometric properties of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A) among Finnish adolescents, 13-16 years of age. Study 1 (n = 867) examined the distribution of SAS-A scores according to gender and age, and the internal consistency and factor structure of the SAS-A. In a subsample (n = 563; Study 2) concurrent and discriminant validity of the SAS-A were examined relative to the Social Phobia Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory. Test-retest stability was examined over a 30-month period by repeated measures every 6 months in another subsample (n = 377; Study 3). Results mostly revealed no gender differences in social anxiety, except that boys reported more general social avoidance and distress than girls. Older adolescents (14-16-year-olds) reported higher social anxiety than younger adolescents (12-13-year-olds). Internal consistency for the SAS-A was acceptable for both genders and for all three SAS-A subscales. Confirmatory factor analysis replicated the original 18-item three-factor structure of the SAS-A, accounting for 61% of the variance between items. Evidence for concurrent and discriminant validity was found. Test-retest stability over 6 months was satisfactory. Results support the reliability and validity of the Finnish adaptation of the SAS-A, and further indicate that gender differences in adolescents' social anxiety may vary across Western countries.
authors.affiliation: Department of Adolescent Psychiatry, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland. klaus.ranta@pshp.fi
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ranta
authors.forename: Niina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Junttila
authors.forename: Eero
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Laakkonen
authors.forename: Anni
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Uhmavaara
authors.forename: Annette M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: La Greca
authors.forename: Päivi M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Niemi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011594:Psychometrics; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012737:Sex Factors