Authors: Lydia Fehm Katja Beesdo Frank Jacobi Agnes Fiedler
Publish Date: 2007/12/14
Volume: 43, Issue: 4, Pages: 257-265
Abstract
This analysis was based on data from the German Health Survey GHS and its Mental Health Supplement GHSMHS Social anxiety disorder and its syndromes as well as other mental disorders were assessed with a standardized diagnostic interview MCIDI in 4174 adultsThe 12month prevalence rate for threshold SAD was 20 subthreshold and symptomatic social anxiety one DSMIV criterion missing/two or more criteria missing was found in 30 and 75 of the participants respectively As expected threshold SAD was characterized by an elevated risk for comorbid disorders and associated with impairment in diverse areas of life However this was also true for the two subthreshold expressions of social anxiety which were also significantly associated with higher comorbidity and greater impairment compared to the control groupOur 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 programsReported data on mental disorders were assessed in the Mental Health Supplement of the German Health Survey GHSMHS conducted by the MaxPlanckInstitute of Psychiatry Munich Principal investigator was HansUlrich Wittchen Reported sociodemographic and somatic health status variables come from the Core Survey GHSCS conducted by the Robert KochInstitute Berlin Principal investigators of the GHSCS were Dr BärbelMaria Kurth and Dr Wolfgang Thefeld
Keywords: