Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2007;9(4):227-37.
doi: 10.2165/00148581-200709040-00004.

Social anxiety disorder in children and adolescents: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment

Affiliations
Review

Social anxiety disorder in children and adolescents: epidemiology, diagnosis, and treatment

Sarosh Khalid-Khan et al. Paediatr Drugs. 2007.

Abstract

Social anxiety disorder (SOC) is characterized by marked and persistent fear of one or more social performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar people or to possible scrutiny. The person fears that she or he might act in a way that will be humiliating or embarrassing. Children and adolescents with this disorder often have great impairment in their academic performance, social skills, peer relationships, and family life. Early diagnosis is vital. Primary care providers are in a unique situation to first diagnose and treat SOC in children and adolescents. There is evidence of successful pharmacologic and psychosocial treatment in pediatric SOC. Serotonin reuptake inhibitors, which are considered first-line medications for SOC, have shown promising results in open-label and double-blind trials. Studies have demonstrated that psychosocial treatments, specifically cognitive-behavioral therapy and group therapy, are efficacious in pediatric SOC. There is some evidence that the use of combination therapy, both pharmacology and psychosocial treatment, is beneficial in the management of pediatric SOC.

PubMed Disclaimer

Similar articles

Cited by

References

    1. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1999 Jun;38(6):643-50 - PubMed
    1. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2003 Nov;42(11):1270-8 - PubMed
    1. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2002 Sep;41(9):1061-9 - PubMed
    1. Behav Res Ther. 1999 Sep;37(9):831-43 - PubMed
    1. J Consult Clin Psychol. 1998 Dec;66(6):893-905 - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources