Les difficultés sociales et de communication sont-elles un facteur de risque pour le développement de l'anxiété sociale?

Aperçu: G.M.

L'anxiété sociale (AS) est une condition courante associée aux difficultés sociales et de communication (SC) chez les jeunes en développement, ainsi qu'avec les troubles du spectre de l'autisme. L'étude vise à démêler la relation entre les symptômes de SA et les difficultés de SC à l'aide d'un échantillon basé sur une population de 9 491 enfant. 

Plus de difficultés SC ont été associés à de plus grands symptômes AS à tous les âges. Des difficultés précoces de SC difficultés prédisaient une petite quantité, mais significative de la variance dans les symptômes AS plus tard. On n'a pas observé la relation inverse entre les difficultés de AS et SC. La relation entre les difficultés de SC et l'AS était plus forte de 7 à 10 ans. Aucune différence de sexe n'a été observée.

J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2017 Apr;56(4):344-351.e3. doi: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.01.007. Epub 2017 Feb 1.

Are Social and Communication Difficulties a Risk Factor for the Development of Social Anxiety?

Pickard H¹, Rijsdijk F², Happé F², Mandy W³.

Author information

1

Medical Research Council (MRC) Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK. Electronic address: hannah.pickard@kcl.ac.uk

2

Medical Research Council (MRC) Social, Genetic, and Developmental Psychiatry (SGDP) Centre, King's College London, UK.

3

University College London, UK.

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:

Social anxiety (SA) is a common condition associated with social and communication (SC) difficulties in typically developing young people, as well as those with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Whether SC difficulties place children at risk for developing SA is unclear. Using a longitudinal design, the present study aimed to disentangle the relationship between SA symptoms and SC difficulties using a population-based sample of 9,491 children from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (ALSPAC).

METHOD:

Parent-reported data on SC difficulties and SA symptoms were collected at ages 7, 10, and 13 years. A cross-lagged panel model was used to investigate the longitudinal stability and directional relationship between latent SC difficulties and SA constructs over time.

RESULTS:

More SC difficulties were associated with greater SA symptoms at all ages. Earlier SC difficulties predicted a small but significant amount of variance in later SA symptoms. The reverse relationship from SA to SC difficulties was not observed. The relationship from SC difficulties to SA was strongest from age 7 to 10 years. No sex differences were observed.

CONCLUSION:

The evidence suggests that SC difficulties may be an important risk factor for the development of SA. These findings suggest the potential usefulness of incorporating social skills training alongside effective interventions to prevent or alleviate symptoms of SA in childhood.

Copyright © 2017 American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

PMID: 28335879

DOI: 10.1016/j.jaac.2017.01.007