title: Identification of Social Anxiety in Schools: The Utility of a Two-Step Screening Process.
abstract: Social anxiety disorder (SAD) is highly prevalent yet largely undetected and untreated in adolescents despite the availability of effective treatments. Implementing interventions in schools enhances recognition and access to treatment for SAD. However, without reliable means to accurately identify youth in need of services, school-based interventions are not feasible. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the utility of a two-step, school-based screening approach to identify youth with SAD. Students at three public high schools were screened with self-report questionnaires or nominated by school personnel. Subsequently, a brief telephone assessment of student symptoms was completed with students' parents. Results showed that using both questionnaires and telephone assessments yielded acceptable detection rates, while school staff nominations were not beneficial. This study provides support for the use of a two-step screening procedure consisting of student self-reports followed by brief parent telephone interviews to identify youth with clinically impairing social anxiety. Implications for enhancing school-based detection of and intervention for socially anxious adolescents are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University.
authors.forename: Corinne
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Sweeney
authors.affiliation: William Paterson University, New York University Langone Medical Center, and Nathan S. Kline Institute for Psychiatric Research.
authors.forename: Carrie Masia
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Warner
authors.affiliation: New York University Langone Medical Center.
authors.forename: Chad
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Brice
authors.affiliation: New York University Langone Medical Center.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University.
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ryan
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University.
authors.forename: Katharine L
authors.initials: KL
authors.lastname: Loeb
authors.affiliation: Fairleigh Dickinson University.
authors.forename: Robert E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: McGrath
keywords: anxiety; identification; school; school-based treatment; screening