Social anxiety disorder above and below the diagnostic threshold: prevalence, comorbidity and impairment in the general population

Abstract

Our results suggest that social anxiety below the diagnostic threshold is clearly associated with adverse outcomes. Prospective designs should examine the exact temporal and possible causal pathways of this burden in order to inform prevention and early intervention programs.

Social phobia and depression: Prevalence and comorbidity

“…Studies based on the DSM-III-R classification found 1-month prevalence between 2% and 7%, 12-month prevalence between 4.8% and 11.1%, and lifetime prevalence between 4.0% and 16% [9][10][11][12][13][14]. Prevalences based on DSM-IV classification show a one-month prevalence between 1.6% and 15.6%, 12-month prevalence between 1.2% and 7.2% and lifetime prevalence between 2.3% and 7.3% [15][16][17][18][19][20][21].…”

Internet-Based Interventions for Social Anxiety Disorder - an Overview

“…They are also more likely to stay in jobs below their level of education [Lampe et al, 2003;Ruscio et al, 2008]. Individuals with SAD often suffer from comorbid mental disorders which further aggravate their psychological well-being and their quality of life [e.g., Fehm et al, 2008]. SAD is not only associated with high personal suffering but also with high societal costs which further emphasizes the need for effective treatments.…”

Familial risk factors in social anxiety disorder: calling for a family-oriented approach for targeted prevention and early intervention

“…Unreasonably strong fears were found in 22.3% of male and in 32.2% of female adolescents aged 14 to 24 years [115]. Similarly, at least one fifth of adults reported unreasonable strong fears [31].…”

“…Mean duration for SAD symptoms ranges from 19 to 21 years in clinical studies, and from 19 to 25 years in community studies [31,113]. SAD does therefore not appear to be a transitory condition in adolescence and young adulthood.…”

“…Course and outcome of SAD are however rarely characterised by simple linear relationships. Given the oscillating course of social phobia symptoms [71,114], conclusions from the presence or absence of full diagnostic criteria are crude, neglecting the complexity and severity of the disorder, as also conditions below the diagnostic threshold lead to impairment in daily life and increase the risk for comorbid and subsequent psychopathology [31].…”