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When social anxiety co-occurs with substance use: does an impulsive social anxiety subtype explain this unexpected relationship?
journal contribution
posted on 2014-12-30, 00:00 authored by J Nicholls, Petra StaigerPetra Staiger, James Williams, Ben Richardson, Nicolas KambouropoulosNicolas KambouropoulosAlthough most conceptualizations of social anxiety emphasise that socially anxious individuals are overtly shy, and utilise avoidant behavioural strategies (e.g., risk-aversion, passivity, and submissiveness), there is tentative support for the existence of an approach-motivated subtype, characterised by risk taking and a greater propensity for substance misuse. It is likely that this subtype may help explain the reported co-occurrence of substance misuse and social anxiety. The current study sought to test via latent class analysis whether an approach-motivated social anxiety subtype could be identified within a community sample. A self-report questionnaire was completed by 351 participants (age: 18-74 years). Two distinct social anxiety subgroups were identified: one characterised by prototypical SAD symptomatology (i.e., behavioural inhibition and risk-avoidance), the second by elevated levels of rash impulsiveness, reward sensitivity, risk-taking and co-occurring substance use problems. The current findings provides support for the existence of a distinct approach-motivated social anxiety subtype and indicates that impulsivity may be critical to understanding the comorbid substance use symptomatology of these individuals.
History
Journal
Psychiatry researchVolume
220Issue
3Pagination
909 - 914Publisher
Elsevier IrelandLocation
Shannon, IrelandPublisher DOI
ISSN
0165-1781eISSN
1872-7123Language
ENGPublication classification
C Journal article; C1 Refereed article in a scholarly journalCopyright notice
2014, Elsevier IrelandUsage metrics
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