title: The influence of gender on social anxiety spectrum symptoms in a sample of university students.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The aim of the study was to explore social anxiety spectrum gender differences, in a sample of university students.
  
  
  METHODS
  Overall, 823 University of Pisa students were assessed by Social Anxiety Spectrum Self-Report Questionnaire (SHYSR). Using a total score of 68 as the optimal diagnostic threshold, we classified students into two groups with levels of severity: low scorers (<68 items) and high scorers (≥68 items).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among females there was a significant higher rate of high scorers than males (32.5% vs 25.3%). Among the 13 most endorsed items (>60%), significant gender differences emerged for 6 items: females reported higher rates of items related to “Performance fears”, that seemed to confirm the new DSM-5 specifier named “Performance only”, while males reported higher rate in a single item related to “Behavioural inhibition”. Females showed a significant higher total score and “Specific anxieties and phobic features” and “Interpersonal sensitivity” domain scores compared to males, in low severity subgroup, and males showed significant higher “Social phobic traits during childhood and adolescence” and “Behavioural inhibition and somatic symptoms” domain scores compared to females in the high severity subgroup. Finally, rate of individuals declaring to consume alcohol was significantly higher in males than females.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Among university students, social anxiety spectrum seems to be more frequent in females than males. In males, social anxiety spectrum is more frequently associated with an early onset, behavioural inhibition and somatic symptoms and, consequently, with higher severity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Liliana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Dell'Osso
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marianna
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefano
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pini
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Carpita
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Carlini
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mengali
authors.affiliation: Prorectorate to Students Affairs and Right to Education, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Rosalba
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Tognetti
authors.affiliation: Prorectorate to Students Affairs and Right to Education, University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Rivetti
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Section of Psychiatry University of Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Massimetti
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001007:Anxiety / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D010555:Personality Inventory; D015995:Prevalence; D011594:Psychometrics; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014495:Universities