| Prevalence |
Social anxiety disorder is one of the most common anxiety disorders, with prevalence estimates ranging from 3% to 13%. A fear of public speaking or public performance is the most common symptom, followed by a fear of talking to strangers or meeting new people. |
| Comorbidity |
Among those with social anxiety disorder, over half will also have one other psychological disorder at some point in their lives, and 27% will have three or more disorders during their lives (Chartier et al., 2003). Approximately 20–44% will have a mood disorder (Chartier et al., 2003; Roth & Fonagy, 2005). |
| Onset |
Most people with social anxiety disorder were shy as children, and they developed the disorder during childhood, with broader symptoms generally appearing during adolescence. |
| Course |
Social anxiety disorder may develop gradually or it may begin suddenly after a humiliating or stressful social experience. Symptoms typically are chronic, although they may lessen for some adolescents as they enter adulthood. Only half the people with this disorder seek treatment for it—usually after 15 years of symptoms. For some people, symptoms can improve over the course of time. |
| Gender Differences |
Social anxiety disorder is approximately twice as common in females as in males. |
| Cultural Differences |
Culture can influence the specific form of social anxiety disorder symptoms; for instance, in Japan, some people with social anxiety disorder may fear that their body odor will offend others (Dinnel et al., 2002), whereas people with social anxiety disorder in Hong Kong are more likely to be afraid of talking to people who have a higher social status (Lee et al., 2009). |
| Source: Unless otherwise noted, information in the table is from American Psychiatric Association, 2013. |