Prevalence and correlates of social fears in Hong Kong
Abstract
This study examined the 12-month prevalence of social fears and their correlates in Hong Kong. A random telephone survey of 3006 Chinese individuals aged 15-45 years was conducted using a questionnaire that covered sociodemographic information, 14 social fears, age of onset, duration of fear, DSM-IV diagnostic features of social anxiety disorder and other psychosocial features. The prevalence of any social fear was 28.7%. The most common fear was talking to a person of higher status. Respondents with social fears were more likely to be younger and female than those without. A two-step cluster analysis revealed three subgroups with 1-3 (34.0%), 4-7 (43.9%) and 8-13 (22.0%) fears, respectively. As the number of social fears increased across these subgroups, respondents exhibited younger age of onset, more physical symptoms, avoidance behavior, impairment, and suicidality. The prevalence and profile of social fears among Chinese people resembled those of their Western counterparts.
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Studies conducted in Eastern countries and Western countries showed disparate prevalence rates, concluding that Eastern societies tend to report lower estimated rates of SAD.
“As such, studies conducted in Eastern countries [48] and Western countries [37] showed disparate prevalence rates, concluding that Eastern societies tend to report lower estimated rates of SAD.”
From The Prevalence of Adolescent Social Fears and Social Anxiety Disorder in School Contexts (2022) · cites this paper as [48]
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- Authors
- Lee, S., Ng, K. L., Kwok, K. P. S., & Tsang, A.
- Affiliations
- Chinese University of Hong Kong (HK)
- ORCID
- Lee, Sing
- Venue
- Journal of Anxiety Disorders
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2009-04
- Volume
- 23
- Issue
- 3
- Pages
- 327-332
- ISSN
- 0887-6185 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2089676732
- Cited by
- 11
- References
- 32
- Citations by year
- 2022: 2 · 2021: 1 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2012: 1
- FWCI
- 1.27
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Anxiety Disorders (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Social Psychology › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Keywords
- social fear, social anxiety disorder, prevalence, Chinese adults, Hong Kong, age of onset, avoidance behavior, suicidality, somatic symptoms, sociodemographic correlates
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Female, Hong Kong, Humans, Interviews as Topic, Male, Middle Aged, Phobic Disorders, Psychology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Severity of Illness Index, Prevalence, Young Adult
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