CUCARD Logo


Social Anxiety Disorder in Children and Adolescents

Social anxiety disorder in childhood is characterized by a child’s fear of being negatively evaluated by others. Intense anxiety may be experienced or anticipated across a variety of social situations, leading to interfering patterns of avoidance and missed opportunities. Social anxiety disorder may onset as early as the preschool years, with adolescence being the most common time period where the condition is noticed by others and viewed as interfering with the adolescent’s progression through development.

There are a number of situations that can be problematic for the child with social anxiety disorder. These can include:

  • Calling or inviting a friend to get together
  • Starting or joining in on conversations
  • Oral presentations, taking exams or quizzes
  • Calling a classmate for homework
  • Asking the teacher for help or to explain something
  • Unstructured social situations (e.g., free time, recess)
  • Gym class, music lessons, or other performance situations
  • Dating
  • Attending social events such as dances, parties, sporting events
  • Ordering food in public or eating in the cafeteria and restaurants
  • Answering the telephone or doorbell
  • Job or college interviews
  • Being assertive with others

All kids feel reticent in social situations from time to time, and various social fears are relatively common across childhood. However, these experiences become problematic when:

  • Satisfying peer relationships feel difficult or impossible to achieve
  • Social anxiety and avoidance leaves the child unable to fulfill basic tasks at school, putting academic performance in jeopardy
  • When in the presence of others, the child cannot stop thinking about themselves in highly negative, critical ways, or assumes that others are thinking extremely negative things about them.
  • The adolescent learns maladaptive strategies like drinking alcohol to get through even mildly difficult social situations.

Social anxiety disorder is relatively common in the general population, with roughly 5-12% of the general population afflicted at some point in their lives. The majority of social anxiety disorders cases onset by adolescence, but cases can onset earlier as well. Regrettably, only 10-20% of afflicted individuals seek treatment in a given year. When left untreated, social anxiety disorder can cause problems in a child’s self-esteem and confidence, and can lead to problems in social relationships, school functioning, and family relationships.

If these symptoms seem relevant to you or your child, we can help. Feel free to contact us by calling our main desk at (212) 246-5740.

The Columbia University Clinic for Anxiety and Related Disorders (CUCARD) provides evidence-based treatments for all of the anxiety disorders that can afflict children, including: