Social Anxiety Disorder in Adolescents / Teens: Prevalence, Risk & Key Differences

Key things to know What the evidence shows
How common is it? 8.3% global pooled
Is it more common among adolescents / teens? Higher than children
Are adolescents / teens at higher risk? Strongly relevant developmental period
How much higher is the risk? 8.3% pooled
How often can it be missed? High
Does it show up differently among adolescents / teens? Yes
How might it look different? Fear of peer judgment, presentations, eating/writing publicly, dating/social avoidance
What commonly occurs alongside it? MDD; GAD; substance use; other anxiety disorders
What can it be confused with? Autism; avoidant personality traits; panic disorder; GAD
Common screening tool SPIN
Separate screening tool for adolescents / teens SPAI-C / adolescent-appropriate SAD measures
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