An empirical classification of social anxiety: performance, interpersonal and offensive

This study empirically identified subtypes of social anxiety using a cluster analytic approach. From 87 out-patients with social phobia (taijin kyofusho) and 48 controls, social anxiety symptoms, social situations in which symptoms occur, and background information were evaluated. Factor analysis using the ratings of social anxiety symptoms identified four factors: socially inadequate feelings, performance anxiety, offensive fear, and tenacity. Four subtypes emerged from cluster analysis based on the factor scores and they were called performance anxiety type, offensive type, interpersonal anxiety type and mild type. Chi2 test and analysis of variance revealed the following: (i) the offensive type had the greatest symptom severity. Any situation could provoke symptoms, and interpersonal tense feelings became much stronger with persons of the same age; (ii) the interpersonal anxiety type was characterized by the fear of social interaction in daily life; and (iii) patients with the offensive type and the interpersonal anxiety type presented more difficulties than did those with the performance anxiety type on developmental and premorbid adjustment.