The relationship between childhood traumatic life experiences and social anxiety disorders

Childhood traumatic experiences are known to have profound and lasting effects on mental health; however, there are limited data on the relationship between types of childhood trauma and social anxiety in non-clinical populations.

This study aimed to explore the associations between types of childhood trauma and social anxiety symptoms in non-clinical young adults.

The study was conducted at the Faculty of Health Sciences of a university in Istanbul, Turkey.

This cross-sectional study included 486 university students. Sample size was determined via G*Power analysis to ensure statistical power. Participants completed the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to assess childhood trauma types and social anxiety symptoms. Data were analysed using stepwise multiple regression.

The mean age of the participants was 21.8 ± 4.0 years, and 81% were female, with emotional abuse and neglect scoring highest in both genders. The sample's LSAS total mean score was 63.87 ± 11.68. When the subscales were compared by gender, females had significantly higher mean fear and avoidance scores than males (p < 0.05). The results show that childhood abuse and neglect were significant predictors of social anxiety and explained 23% of the social anxiety variance.

Childhood abuse and neglect are clearly associated with social anxiety symptoms. Interventions and treatments for individuals with social anxiety should incorporate a detailed assessment of childhood trauma history, with a particular focus on emotional abuse and neglect.

This study contributes to the literature by clarifying the associations between specific types of childhood trauma and social anxiety symptoms in a non-clinical young adult population.