Implication of psychosocial competencies, behavioural problems and personality variables in the prediction of social interaction anxiety in adolescents: Sex and age differences

At present it is assumed that there are several factors involved in social interaction anxiety. This study seeks to determine whether certain psychological variables have an influence on normal adolescent social anxiety, and if the role of these differ according to sex and age. A sample of 961 (412 males and 549 females) Spanish adolescents (M = 15.63; SD = 1.32) was assessed using the YSR/11- 18, MMPI-A and SIAS. Results indicate that significant sex and age differences were found in social anxiety. Most of the correlations found between social interaction anxiety and the variables assessed by YSR/11-18 and MMPI-A were found to be significant, although low in both sexes and both age groups. Variables included in the regression models for men and women explained 33.50% and 40.40% of the variance in social interaction anxiety, respectively; those included in the models of eldest and youngest adolescents were able to explain the 24.60% and 41.50% of the variance in social interaction anxiety. We discuss these sex and age differences in order to explain the nature of anxiety experienced in interpersonal situations according to the existing theoretical proposals. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: journal abstract)