Introduction
The review study strongly emphasizes the symptoms and causes of a social anxiety disorder (SAD). Studies on families and twins imply that environmental variables may play a more significant role in the etiology of social anxiety disorder than genetic factors. Identifying biological traits has been challenging when reviewing the etiology (Rose, 2022). A constrained disposition in children can lead to overly restrictive or invasive parenting, which raises their risk for SAD. One of the most important aspects of treating and overcoming SAD is educating patients and the general population.
The authors apply notions from new developments in neuroimaging technology that could help us understand the disease better in the future. Analysis of the extended amygdala can assist in determining how extensive SAD is in an individual because recent research reveals that it is a crucial area in anxiety disorders (Rose, 2022). The review report underlined that the prevalence rates in children and adolescents are comparable to those in adults. When asked about their background, most people with SAD will say that their symptoms started before age 20 (Rose, 2022). Many people would claim that their symptoms started in childhood. Evasion, fear, or worry often lasts for at least six months and significantly impairs or distresses a crucial functional area. These statements are relevant in helping college students aged 20 and above evaluate themselves to see whether they possess symptoms of SAD.
Empirical Article #1
The main focus of the research is to investigate the global occurrence of social anxiety using a self-report survey of 6,825 participants, with 3,342 men, 3,482 females, and 55 others, whose ages vary from 16 to 29 (Leigh & Clark, 2018). Due to the participants’ diverse cultural and economic backgrounds represented seven distinct nations, including the United States, Brazil, Vietnam, Indonesia, China, Thailand, and Russia (Leigh & Clark, 2018). Researchers expected to view a similarity in how SAD affects individuals but what was evident was that the incidence and intensity of it differed depending on a participant’s age, nationality, employment situation, academic background, and residence in a town or remote place
Globally, researchers report greater than initially disclosed instances of social anxiety indicators and the incidence of people who match the SAD eligibility criteria. According to their research, social anxiety is possibly on the rise among youngsters, with those between 18 and 24 being the most vulnerable (Leigh & Clark, 2018). Efforts in public health are required to increase understanding of social anxiety, the difficulties it presents, and the methods for overcoming it. This would also apply to college students as the study group involves youths.
Empirical Article #2
Studying therapies delivered throughout adolescence is necessary since doing so offers advantages. The researchers expected cognitive behavioral group therapy (CBGT) would bring more change than those receiving no intervention. After testing, the latter revealed persistent symptoms after a year compared to the former, meaning CGBT was working. The researchers used therapy techniques to effect positive change in SAD patients and operationalize the therapies worked.
Researchers concluded that SAD is linked to significant unfavorable outcomes and substantial degrees of impairment, even when contrasted to other psychiatric diseases, after conducting their study on 784 Finnish 13–17-year-olds. Given the ages, participants were not college students, but this would be reflected in college students as they are all youths, and the prevalence in youths is the same as in adults. Social anxiety disorder impacts every aspect of life (Jefferies & Ungar, 2020). Teenagers’ academic progress is limited, and they are more likely to drop out of school early and get less-than-stellar degrees, as was shown among the research participants.
Researchers found that moving on to visual imagination, socially anxious youths may be especially susceptible to disturbing social depictions because they find it challenging to block out or divert focus from them when they happen. This is because the capability to generate, scrutinize, preserve, and reshape mental images grows comprehensively throughout childhood and adolescence. Adolescents may, however, respond exceptionally well to programs that target harmful imagery, given their vulnerability (Jefferies & Ungar, 2020).
References
Jefferies, P., & Ungar, M. (2020). Social anxiety in young people: A prevalence study in seven countries. PLOS ONE, 15(9). Web.
Leigh, E., & Clark, D. M. (2018). Understanding social anxiety disorder in adolescents and improving treatment outcomes: Applying the cognitive model of Clark and Wells (1995). Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 21(3), 388–414. Web.
Rose, G. M. (2022). STATPEARLS. Social Anxiety Disorder. Web.