Anxiety and mood (대한불안의학회지)

Korean Academy of Anxiety Disorders (대한불안의학회)
권호 표지

The Characteristics of Social Anxiety Symptoms in the Korean Nonclinical Population

한국인 일반인구에서의 사회 불안 증상의 특성

  • Kang, Yeo-Jin (Department of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Ha, Ju-Won (Department of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Lim, Se-Won (Department of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine) ;
  • Oh, Kang-Seob (Department of Psychiatry, Kangbuk Samsung Hospital, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine)
  • 강여진 (성균관대학교 의과대학 강북삼성병원 신경정신과학교실) ;
  • 하주원 (성균관대학교 의과대학 강북삼성병원 신경정신과학교실) ;
  • 임세원 (성균관대학교 의과대학 강북삼성병원 신경정신과학교실) ;
  • 오강섭 (성균관대학교 의과대학 강북삼성병원 신경정신과학교실)
  • Received : 2011.02.28
  • Accepted : 2011.04.12
  • Published : 2011.04.30
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Abstract

Objective : Social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been characterized by a marked sense of anxiety provoked by exposure to one or more social situations. It has been well-known that the cultural characteristics of a society strongly affect the expression of SAD symptoms. The current study attempted to explore clinical and cultural characteristics of social anxiety symptoms in the Korean nonclinical population. Methods : 801 volunteers who participated in the national social anxiety screening day, which was held by Korean academy of anxiety disorders, were invited to complete the self-report version of Liebowitz social anxiety scale (LSAS-SR). A total of 691 participants completed the LSAS-SR and other information related to this study. Results : Social anxiety symptoms were reported by a great percentage of subjects, as displayed by the relatively high mean LSAS scores (44.58 ; SD=25.60). There were no significant differences in total LSAS score according to sex, education, or marital status. The three most fearful or avoided situations for participants, as measured by the percentage of subjects who had a score of more than 3 on each LSAS item were as follows: item 6 (acting, performing, or giving a talk in front of an audience ; 29.67% for fear and 22.72% for avoidance), item 16 (speaking up in a meeting ; 25.62% for fear and 21.56% for avoidance), and item 15 (being the center of attention; 13.89% for fear and 9.70% for avoidance). Conclusion : The Korean participants in this study demonstrated a high level of SAD symptoms. Our subjects reported that they were more likely to be fearful or avoid passive situations such as being the center of attention as compared with results from a study of western society which indicated that western people were more likely to be fearful or avoid active situations. These findings emphasize the importance of considering a patient's cultural background when evaluating SAD symptoms.

Keywords

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