[The prevalence od social phobia in representative group of adolescents from Lodz]

Recent epidemiological studies have produced a remarkable variation in the estimated life-time prevalence of social phobia, ranking from 0.5% to 22.6%. About 95% of social phobia occurs prior to the age of 20, approximately 40% prior to the age of 10. Studies of mainly patient samples report a mean age of onset of 14.6 to 20 years.

In co-operation with GUS, the year 2000 we assessed with a specially prepared questionnaire including DSM-IV criteria for social phobia and CIDI, the prevalence of specific and generalised type of social phobia in a representative group of adolescent population from Łódź. Subjects of the study (n = 1929) were chosen from 36450 adolescents.

We found, that generalised social phobia was present in 7% of subjects, specific subtype in 17% of subjects, more frequently in women than in men (p < 0.05), with the same prevalence in adolescents from various type of schools. 15% of adolescents with social phobia were alcohol or psychoactive drug abusers, 5% attempted suicide.

Only 1/4th of adolescents with social phobia was in psychological or psychiatric therapy. Subjects with social phobia have a high risk of other comorbid psychiatric disorders and significant worsening of social functioning.