Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries.
Social anxiety is a fast-growing phenomenon which is thought to disproportionately affect young people. In this study, we explore the prevalence of social anxiety around the world using a self-report survey of 6,825 individuals (male = 3,342, female = 3,428, other = 55), aged 16-29 years (M = 22.84,...
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doaj-0f2ed0aa19074a05a359b1ea603248232021-03-03T22:05:53ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032020-01-01159e023913310.1371/journal.pone.0239133Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries.Philip JefferiesMichael UngarSocial anxiety is a fast-growing phenomenon which is thought to disproportionately affect young people. In this study, we explore the prevalence of social anxiety around the world using a self-report survey of 6,825 individuals (male = 3,342, female = 3,428, other = 55), aged 16-29 years (M = 22.84, SD = 3.97), from seven countries selected for their cultural and economic diversity: Brazil, China, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, US, and Vietnam. The respondents completed the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). The global prevalence of social anxiety was found to be significantly higher than previously reported, with more than 1 in 3 (36%) respondents meeting the threshold criteria for having Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Prevalence and severity of social anxiety symptoms did not differ between sexes but varied as a function of age, country, work status, level of education, and whether an individual lived in an urban or rural location. Additionally, 1 in 6 (18%) perceived themselves as not having social anxiety, yet still met or exceeded the threshold for SAD. The data indicate that social anxiety is a concern for young adults around the world, many of whom do not recognise the difficulties they may experience. A large number of young people may be experiencing substantial disruptions in functioning and well-being which may be ameliorable with appropriate education and intervention.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239133 |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Philip Jefferies Michael Ungar |
spellingShingle |
Philip Jefferies Michael Ungar Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries. PLoS ONE |
author_facet |
Philip Jefferies Michael Ungar |
author_sort |
Philip Jefferies |
title |
Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries. |
title_short |
Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries. |
title_full |
Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries. |
title_fullStr |
Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries. |
title_full_unstemmed |
Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries. |
title_sort |
social anxiety in young people: a prevalence study in seven countries. |
publisher |
Public Library of Science (PLoS) |
series |
PLoS ONE |
issn |
1932-6203 |
publishDate |
2020-01-01 |
description |
Social anxiety is a fast-growing phenomenon which is thought to disproportionately affect young people. In this study, we explore the prevalence of social anxiety around the world using a self-report survey of 6,825 individuals (male = 3,342, female = 3,428, other = 55), aged 16-29 years (M = 22.84, SD = 3.97), from seven countries selected for their cultural and economic diversity: Brazil, China, Indonesia, Russia, Thailand, US, and Vietnam. The respondents completed the Social Interaction Anxiety Scale (SIAS). The global prevalence of social anxiety was found to be significantly higher than previously reported, with more than 1 in 3 (36%) respondents meeting the threshold criteria for having Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD). Prevalence and severity of social anxiety symptoms did not differ between sexes but varied as a function of age, country, work status, level of education, and whether an individual lived in an urban or rural location. Additionally, 1 in 6 (18%) perceived themselves as not having social anxiety, yet still met or exceeded the threshold for SAD. The data indicate that social anxiety is a concern for young adults around the world, many of whom do not recognise the difficulties they may experience. A large number of young people may be experiencing substantial disruptions in functioning and well-being which may be ameliorable with appropriate education and intervention. |
url |
https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0239133 |
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