• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.106-114
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• 2007

Objective : It is suggested that disturbance of dopaminergic system might be related to the possible mechanism of social phobia. The aim of this study was to investigate the possible association of DRD2 TaqI polymorphism and social phobia. Method : Fifty-one patients with social phobia and 200 comparison subjects were tested for DRD2 TaqI A polymorphism. The severity of social phobic symptoms was measured by self-report version of the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale(LSAS-SR) and Hamilton anxiety scale(HAM-A). Results : There was no signigicant difference in the genotype, allele frequency, A1 carrier frequency, and heterozygote frequency DRD2 TaqI A polymorphism between the social phobia patients and the control groups. However, we found significant decrease in somatic anxiety of the HAM-A in the patients having A2A2 homozygotes(p=0.014). In addition, patients having A1A2 heterozygotes showed more anxiety in two subscales (p=0.042 in anxiety, p=0.019 in performance) of the LSAS-SR. Conclusion : These results suggest that DRD2 A2 homozygote might have a protective role against somatic anxiety, and molecular heterosis of DRD2 TaqI A polymorphism might be related with more severe anxiety in social phobia.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.69-76
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• 2023

Objective : This study aimed to find out whether the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form (MMPI-2-RF) scales are useful in distinguishing social anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and major depressive disorder. Methods : The study sample included 118 patients: 33 with social anxiety disorder, 53 with major depressive disorder, and 32 with panic disorder. Participants were classified according to the diagnosis indicated on their medical records. MMPI-2-RF scores were derived from MMPI-2 protocols. Results : The results of multivariate analysis of variance showed that the elevated scales were consistent with the diagnostic and clinical characteristics of each diafnostic group. Logistic regression analyses identified several scales that were useful in differentiating the diagnostic groups. The higher Cognitive Complaints (COG) scale significantly differentiated major depressive disorder from the other groups. The higher Self-Doubt (SFD) scale and Somatic Complaints (RC1) scale were useful in differentiating social anxiety disorder and panic disorder respectively. The lower Cynicism (RC3) scale was also useful in differentiating social anxiety disorder. Other scales that were useful in distinguishing between pairs of groups were also identified. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest that the MMPI-2-RF scales can be useful for discriminating anxiety disorders.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.44-51
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• 2014

Objective : The amygdala has been considered to be a critical region in the pathophysiology of social anxiety disorder, but subregional connectivity pattern has not been examined yet despite lots of previous functional neuroimaging studies. Methods : Resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging data was obtained in 19 patients with social anxiety disorder and 20 normal controls, and default mode functional connectivity with each of basolateral, centromedial and superficial areas of the amygdala was measured and compared between the two groups. Results : Differential amygdala-based networks between the two groups were distributed to all over the brain. In particular, however, a bias on the amygdala-cingulate pathway was observed in the superficial amygdala only. Connectivity strengths between the superficial amygdala and perigenual anterior cingulate cortex were correlated with scores of social interaction and avoidance. Conclusion : Our findings provide new insights into understanding of the intrinsic cognitive bias model of social anxiety disorder. An abnormality in superficial amygdala-anterior cingulate connectivity may influence on cognitive processing of socially-relevant information in social anxiety disorder.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 2023

Objectives: This study was conducted to observe the progression of symptoms according to the treatment period of patients with social anxiety disorder who received complex Korean medicine treatment. Methods: The medical records of 25 patients who were diagnosed with social anxiety disorder according to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, and received complex Korean medicine treatment (herbal medicine, acupuncture, and Korean psychotherapy) for 12 weeks were analyzed. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), the Korean-Social Avoidance and Distress scale (K-SAD), and the Korean-Fear of Negative Evaluation (K-FNE) were measured at the initial hospital visit and during the 4, 8, and 12 weeks of treatment to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. Missing values were replaced with the average evaluation index value at that time. Results: 1) Statistically significant changes in STAI-X1, STAI-X2, BDI-II, BAI, K-SAD, and K-FNE scores were seen according to the time of treatment. 2) When scores were compared between each treatment time point, STAI-X2 and BDI-II showed statistically significant changes between the initial visit and four weeks of treatment, the initial visit and eight weeks of treatment, and the initial visit and 12 weeks of treatment. STAI-X1 and K-FNE showed statistically significant changes between the initial visit and eight weeks of treatment and the initial visit and 12 weeks of treatment. There was a statistically significant change in BAI scores between the initial visit and the 12th week of treatment. Conclusions: Complex Korean medicine treatment alleviated anxiety, depression, fear, and avoidance of social situation symptoms in patients with social anxiety disorder. The longer the treatment period, the more symptoms tended to be alleviated. However, the evidence should be supplemented with prospective, controlled research.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.15 no.9
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• pp.210-222
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• 2015

The purpose of this study is to verify the mediation effect of social support in the influence of anxiety over aging of the elderly group on successful aging. The results of analyses are as follows: First, as anxiety over aging of the elderly group increased, the successful aging decreased. Second, in the relationship between anxiety over aging of the elderly group and social support, the social support decreased as anxiety over aging increased. Third, in the relationship between social support and successful aging, an increase of social support led to an increase in successful aging. Fourth, Old man in relationship to and successful aging of ageing in the social support mediated effect parts of their identified. Thus, this study suggests measures to decrease the anxiety over aging of the elderly group for the successful aging and proposals for the further studies in an aging society.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.11
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• pp.68-77
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• 2018

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between behavioral inhibition, ambivalence over emotional expressiveness and social anxiety among Korean middle school students. In addition, we examined whether ambivalence over emotional expressiveness mediated the relationship between behavioral inhibition and social anxiety. For this aim, we conducted a survey of 357 first-third grade students from 6 middle schools located in the cities of Wonju, Seoul, Suwon, Suncheon, and Kwangju. Survey data was analyzed through descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, multiple regression analysis, and Sobel test using the SPSS/WIN 19.0 program. Results were as follows: First, there was a positive correlation between behavioral inhibition and social anxiety on ambivalence over emotional expressiveness. Second, ambivalence over emotional expressiveness was found to partially mediate the relationships between behavioral inhibition and interpersonal anxiety as well as performance anxiety. In other words, while behavioral inhibition tends to affect interpersonal anxiety and performance anxiety in a very direct way, it also influences them indirectly by increasing the ambivalence over emotional expressiveness. These results suggest that counseling of middle school students with social anxiety due to innate behavioral inhibition should seek to reduce their social anxiety by decreasing their ambivalence over emotional expressiveness.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.298-305
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aims to identify the relationship between nursing students' social anxiety and communication ability, and in particular, to determine the mediating effect of self-efficacy. Methods: A total of 187 nursing students enrolled at four universities in Korea completed surveys between August and September 2020. The measurements included the Global Interpersonal Communication Competence Scale, self-efficacy scales, and interaction anxiousness scales. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, an independent t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation, multiple regression following the Baron and Kenny method, and bootstrapping for mediation. Results: Communication ability was significantly negatively correlated with social anxiety (r=-.61, p<.001) and significantly positively correlated with self-efficacy (r=.77, p<.001). Furthermore, self-efficacy had a partial mediating effect on the relationship between social anxiety and communication ability. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that communication ability can be improved if individual characteristics such as social anxiety and self-efficacy are considered. Therefore, when developing communication ability improvement programs for nursing students in the future, it is considered important to actively consider these personal characteristics.

• Anxiety and mood
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.22-28
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• 2011

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.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.63-73
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• 2019

The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of social anxiety among late School-aged Children and identify factors influencing the tendency to social anxiety. A self-report survey was conducted with primary school children who were in the 6th grades. Two hundred and seventy eight children were included in the study. The instruments utilized in this study were SASCA-K (Korean Social Anxiety Scale for children and adolescents), SES(Self-esteem Scale), CAPS(Child and Adolescent Perfectionism Scale), DSRS-C(Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children), and IPPA-R(Inventory of Parent and Peer Attachment-Revised version). Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, One-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation and multiple regression with SPSS WIN 23.0 program. Social anxiety for the schoolchildren was positively correlated with perfectionism and depression, whereas self-esteem and attachment security was negatively correlated with social anxiety. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that 38.0% of the variance for social anxiety was significantly accounted for by self-esteem, self-oriented perfectionism, depression, attachment security (Father-communication). The most significant factor influencing social anxiety was self-esteem. Findings suggest that expanding health education, counseling and school-based health education programs is necessary to prevent and intervention mental problems of late School-aged Children through integrated intervention by schools, families and communities.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.475-486
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• 2020

This study aims to discover the mediating effect of Self-Encouragement and Self-Discouragement on the Relationships between Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Interaction Anxiety. A questionnaire was conducted on 319 university students and the data was analyzed with Pearson's correlation and regression. As a result, there was a positive correlation between Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Interaction Anxiety. Also, Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Interaction Anxiety were positively correlated with Self-Discouragement and negatively correlated with Self-Encouragement. Next, multiple regression showed that Self-Discouragement has a perfect mediating effect and Self-Encouragement has a partial mediating effect on the Relationship between Fear of Negative Evaluation and Social Interaction Anxiety. These results imply that counselee with Social Interaction Anxiety can be treated effectively by promoting self-encouragement.