Lecture 17: Environmental influences to anxiety

Question 1

What is Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)?

Answer 1

• Persistent fear of social or performance situations where scrutiny is possible.
• Avoidance or intense anxiety in such situations.
• Lasts 6+ months and impairs daily functioning.
• Not caused by substances or other medical/mental disorders.

Question 2

What is the prevalence of SAD across different age groups?

Answer 2

• Children: 4.7%.
• Adolescents: 8.3%.
• Youth: 17%.

Methodology: Systematic review of global prevalence data (Salari et al., 2024).

Question 3

What is the heritability of SAD?

Answer 3

• Heritability is approximately 30%, with polygenic contributions (Eley et al., 2002; Gregory & Eley, 2007).

Methodology: Twin and family studies, supported by genome-wide association studies (GWAS).

Question 4

How do environmental factors contribute to SAD?

Answer 4

• Verbal information and vicarious learning from caregivers increase risk (Eley et al., 2015).
• Non-shared environmental factors have a greater impact than shared ones (Scaini et al., 2014).

Methodology: Meta-analyses and longitudinal studies.

Question 5

What does the etiological model of SAD by Spence & Rapee (2016) suggest?

Answer 5

• Equifinality: Multiple pathways can lead to SAD.
• Multifinality: A single risk factor can lead to different outcomes.
• Reciprocal risk factors, such as temperament and parenting, magnify SAD likelihood.

Question 6

How do socially anxious children experience aversive social outcomes?

Answer 6

• They face more teasing, bullying, rejection, and exclusion.
• Poorer quality friendships and fewer social skills worsen outcomes (Blote et al., 2015).

Methodology: Observational ratings of social interactions.

Question 7

What were the findings of Blote et al. (2015) about social performance in adolescents with SAD?

Answer 7

• Adolescents with high social anxiety (HSA) were rated less attractive and had poorer social performance than those with low social anxiety (LSA).

Methodology:
Participants: 40 adolescents (20 HSA, 20 LSA).
Task: Speeches evaluated by 534 observers for rejection, attractiveness, and performance.

Question 8

What types of victimization are linked to SAD?

Answer 8

• Direct/overt: Physical/verbal bullying.
• Relational: Exclusion, gossip, withdrawal of friendships (Storch et al., 2005).

Methodology: Surveys measuring victimization and SAD symptoms.

Question 9

What did Storch et al. (2005) find about relational victimization and SAD?

Answer 9

• Relational victimization predicted future social phobia symptoms, while overt victimization did not.

Methodology:
Participants: 144 adolescents (13–15 years).
Baseline and 1-year follow-up using the Social Experience Questionnaire

Question 10

What did Pabian & Vandebosch (2015) find about bullying and social anxiety?

Answer 10

• Social anxiety predicted future victimization, but victimization did not predict SAD.
• Being a bully predicted higher future social anxiety.

Methodology:
Participants: 2,128 adolescents (10–17 years).
Longitudinal study over 6 months measuring cyberbullying, traditional bullying, and social anxiety.

Question 11

What did Gren-Landell et al. (2011) find about victimization and SAD prevalence?

Answer 11

• SAD prevalence: 10.6% overall, higher in females (14.9%) than males (6.2%).

Methodology:
Participants: 3,211 Swedish adolescents.
Diagnostic questionnaires assessing SAD and victimization types.

Question 11

How do trauma and life events impact SAD?

Answer 11

• Trauma, such as abuse or loss, doubles the likelihood of SAD (Copeland et al., 2007).

Methodology: Retrospective diagnostic assessments in trauma-exposed groups.

Question 12

What role does social support play in mitigating SAD symptoms?

Answer 12

• High social support reduces the impact of negative life events on SAD symptoms (Aune et al., 2021).

Methodology:
Participants: 8,677 Norwegian adolescents.
Measured negative life events, social support, and SAD symptoms using longitudinal data.

Question 13

How does cultural context shape SAD expression?

Answer 13

• Individualistic cultures: Fear of negative evaluation by others.
• Collectivist cultures: Fear of causing offense to others (Stein & Stein, 2008).

Question 14

What did Rapee et al. (2011) find about cultural perceptions of shyness?

Answer 14

• Western cultures viewed shyness more negatively than East Asian cultures.

Methodology:
Participants: 815 students from US/European and East Asian backgrounds.
Task: Rated social likeability and career impact based on vignettes describing shy or outgoing individuals.

Question 15

What are the key findings about SAD and peer interactions?

Answer 15

1. Socially anxious children experience poorer-quality friendships and more rejection.
2. Victimization (especially relational) strongly predicts future SAD symptoms.
3. Trauma and lack of social support amplify SAD risk.

Question 16

What is the impact of overprotective parenting on SAD development?

Answer 16

• Overprotective parenting limits children’s exposure to social situations, reinforcing avoidance behaviors and increasing SAD risk.

Methodology: Observational and longitudinal studies assessing parenting styles and anxiety outcomes (Kiel & Buss, 2011).

Question 17

How does peer victimization create a reciprocal relationship with SAD?

Answer 17

• Socially anxious children are more likely to be victimized, which in turn exacerbates their anxiety.

Methodology: Longitudinal surveys analyzing the interplay of peer interactions and anxiety (Storch et al., 2005).

Question 18

How does being a bully predict future social anxiety?

Answer 18

• Bullying behaviors may stem from underlying insecurities or social fears, which can later manifest as social anxiety.

Methodology:
Longitudinal data tracking adolescents over six months (Pabian & Vandebosch, 2015).

Question 19

What protective factors mitigate the impact of trauma on SAD?

Answer 19

• High social support from peers, family, or mentors can buffer against the negative effects of trauma and reduce SAD symptoms (Aune et al., 2021).

Methodology: Large-scale surveys assessing trauma, social support, and anxiety symptoms in adolescents.