Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Are Socially Anxious Children Really Less Liked, or Do They Only Think So?

  • Original Article
  • Published:
Cognitive Therapy and Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the relation of social anxiety with self-perceived and peer-reported likability, while controlling for the possible influence of depression. In total, 586 children (7 to 13 years) completed questionnaires to measure social anxiety, self-assessed likability, and depression. Peer-reported likability was derived from sociometric data on likability. As expected, children with higher self-reported social anxiety perceived themselves as less liked by classroom peers than children with lower self-reported social anxiety. In reality, children with higher levels of social anxiety were more liked by peers than children with lower levels of social anxiety. Multilinear regression analyses indicated no confounding effect of depression: Social anxiety, but not depression, was a significant predictor of biased perceived likability. Correcting the discrepancy between objective versus subjective likability may be a crucial target in the prevention and treatment of social anxiety disorders in children.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • American Psychiatric Association. (2003). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders 5 (DSM-5). Washington, DC: APA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Arendt, K., Thastum, M., & Hougaard, E. (2015). Homework adherence and cognitive behaviour treatment outcome for children and adolescents with anxiety disorders. Behavioural and Cognitive Psychotherapy, 44, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1352465815000429.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker, J. R., Hudson, J. L., & Taylor, A. (2014). An investigation into the lower peer liking of anxious than nonanxious children. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 28, 599–611. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2014.06.007.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Barrow, M. E., Baker, J. R., & Hudson, J. L. (2011). Peer liking, physical attractiveness, and anxiety disorders in children. Journal of Experimental Psychopathology, 2, 601–614. https://doi.org/10.5127/jep.020511.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Beard, C. (2011). Cognitive bias modification for anxiety: Current evidence and future directions. Expert Review of Neurotherapeutics, 11, 299–311. https://doi.org/10.1586/ern.10.194.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Beck, A. T., & Weishaar, M. (1989). Cognitive therapy. In H. Arkowitz, L. E. Beutler, & K. Simon (Eds.), Comprehensive handbook of cognitive therapy (pp. 21–36). New York: Springer.

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Beidel, D. C., & Turner, S. M. (2007). Shy children, phobic adults: Nature and treatment of social anxiety disorder. Washington, DC: American Psychological Association.

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Bell-Dolan, D. J., Foster, S. L., & Christopher, J. S. (1995). Girls’ peer relations and internalizing problems: Are socially neglected, rejected, and withdrawn girls at risk? Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 24, 463–473.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bierman, K. L. (2004). Peer rejection: Developmental processes and intervention strategies. New York: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bodden, D. H., Bögels, S. M., & Muris, P. (2009). The diagnostic utility of the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders-71 (SCARED-71). Behaviour Research and Therapy, 47, 418–425. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2009.01.015.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cartwright-Hatton, S., Hodges, L., & Porter, J. (2003). Social anxiety in childhood: The relationship with self and observer rated social skills. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 44, 737–742. https://doi.org/10.1111/1469-7610.00159.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cillessen, A. H. N., & Marks, P. E. L. (2011). Conceptualizing and measuring popularity. In A. H. N. Cillessen, D. Schwartz, & L. Mayeux (Eds.), Popularity in the peer system (pp. 25–56). New York, NY, US: Guilford Press.

    Google Scholar 

  • Coie, J. D., Dodge, K. A., & Coppotelli, H. (1982). Dimensions and types of social status: A cross-age perspective. Developmental Psychology, 18, 557–570.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cole, D. A., Peeke, L. G., Martin, J. M., Truglio, R., & Seroczynski, A. (1998). A longitudinal look at the relation between depression and anxiety in children and adolescents. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology, 66, 451. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-006X.66.3.451.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Crick, N. R., & Ladd, G. W. (1993). Children’s perceptions of their peer experiences: Attributions, loneliness, social anxiety, and social avoidance. Developmental Psychology, 29, 244–254.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Greco, L. A., & Morris, T. L. (2005). Factors influencing the link between social anxiety and peer acceptance: Contributions of social skills and close friendships during middle childhood. Behavior Therapy, 36, 197–205. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7894(05)80068-1.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hudson, J. L., Rapee, R. M., Lyneham, H. J., MacLellan, L. F., Wuthrich, V. M., & Schniering, C. A. (2015). Comparing outcomes for children with different anxiety disorders following cognitive behavioural therapy. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 72, 30–37.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Inderbitzen, H. M., Walters, K. S., & Bukowski, A. L. (1997). The role of social anxiety in adolescent peer relations: Differences among sociometric status groups and rejected subgroups. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 26(4), 338–348. https://doi.org/10.1207/s15374424jccp2604_2.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Inderbitzen-Nolan, H. M., Anderson, E. R., & Johnson, H. S. (2007). Subjective versus objective behavioral ratings following two analogue tasks: A comparison of socially phobic and non-anxious adolescents. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 21, 76–90. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2006.03.013.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • James, A. C., James, G., Cowdrey, F. A., Soler, A., & Choke, A. (2013). Cognitive behavioural therapy for anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD004690.pub3.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Keller, M. B., Lavori, P. W., Wunder, J., Beardslee, W. R., Schwartz, C. E., & Roth, J. (1992). Chronic course of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 31, 595–599. https://doi.org/10.1097/00004583-199207000-00003.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler, R. C., Berglund, P., Demler, O., Jin, R., Merikangas, K. R., & Walters, E. E. (2005). Lifetime prevalence and age-of-onset distributions of DSM-IV disorders in the national comorbidity survey replication. Archives of General Psychiatry, 62, 593–602. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.62.6.593.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kingery, J. N., Erdley, C. A., Marshall, K. C., Whitaker, K. G., & Reuter, T. R. (2010). Peer experiences of anxious and socially withdrawn youth: An integrative review of the development and clinical literature. Clinical Child and Family Psychology Review, 13, 91–128.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, A. M., Bakens, R., van Niekerk, R. E., Ouwens, M. A., Rapee, R. M., Bögels, S. M., et al. (2018a). Children with generalized anxiety disorder symptoms show a content-specific interpretation bias using auditory stimuli. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 61, 121–127.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, A. M., Flokstra, E., van Niekerk, R., Klein, S., Rapee, R. M., Hudson, J. L., et al. (2018b). Self-reports, behavior, and interpretation biases in children with varying levels of anxiety. Child Psychiatry and Human Development, 49, 897–905.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, A. M., van Niekerk, R. E., Baartmans, J. M. D., Rinck, M., & Becker, E. S. (2017a). The spider anxiety and disgust screening for children (SADS-C): Reliability and validity of a screening for children. Australian Journal of Psychology, 69, 178–183.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Klein, A. M., van Niekerk, R. E., ten Brink, G., Rapee, R. M., Hudson, J. L., Bögels, S. M., et al. (2017b). Biases in attention, interpretation, memory, and associations in children with varying levels of spider fear: Inter-relations and prediction of behavior. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 54, 285–291.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kovacs, M. (1978). Children’s depression inventory (CDI). Unpublished manuscript, University of Pittsburgh.

  • La Greca, A. M., & Lopez, N. (1998). Social anxiety among adolescents: Linkages with peer relations and friendships. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 26, 83–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • La Greca, A. M., & Stone, W. L. (1993). Social anxiety scale for children-revised: Factor structure and concurrent validity. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 22, 17–27.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ladd, G. W., & Troop-Gordon, W. (2003). The role of chronic peer difficulties in the development of children’s psychological adjustment problems. Child Development, 74, 1344–1367.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Luebbe, A. M., Bell, D. J., Allwood, M. A., Swenson, L. P., & Early, M. C. (2010). Social information processing in children: Specific relations to anxiety, depression, and affect. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 39, 386–399. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374411003691685.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Lundkvist-Houndoumadi, I., Thastum, M., & Nielsen, K. (2015). Parents’ difficulties as co-therapists in CBT among non-responding youths with anxiety disorders: Parent and therapist experiences. Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 21, 477–490.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Muris, P., Merckelbach, H., & Damsma, E. (2000). Threat perception bias in nonreferred, socially anxious children. Journal of Clinical Child Psychology, 29, 348–359. https://doi.org/10.1207/S15374424JCCP2903_6.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Nivard, M. G., Dolan, C. V., Kendler, K. S., Kan, K.-J., Willemsen, G., Van Beijsterveld, C. E. M., et al. (2015). Stability in symptoms of anxiety and depression as a function of genotype and environment: A longitudinal twin study from ages 3 to 63 years. Psychological Medicine, 45, 1039–1049. https://doi.org/10.1017/S003329171400213X.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • O’Donohue, W. T., Fisher, J. E., & Hayes, S. C. (Eds.). (2004). Cognitive behavior therapy: Applying empirically supported techniques in your practice. New York: Wiley.

    Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M., & Heimberg, R. G. (1997). A cognitive-behavioral model of anxiety in social phobia. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 35, 741–756. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0005-7967(97)00022-3.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Rapee, R. M., Schniering, C. A., & Hudson, J. L. (2009). Anxiety disorders during childhood and adolescence: Origins and treatment. Annual Review of Clinical Psychology, 5, 311–341. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.clinpsy.032408.153628.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Spence, S. H., Donovan, C., & Brechman-Toussaint, M. (1999). Social skills, social outcomes, and cognitive features of childhood social phobia. Journal of Abnormal Psychology, 108, 211–221. https://doi.org/10.1037/0021-843X.108.2.211.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stein, M. B., Fuetsch, M., Müller, N., Höfler, M., Lieb, R., & Wittchen, H. (2001). Social anxiety disorder and the risk of depression: A prospective community study of adolescents and young adults. Archives of General Psychiatry, 58, 251–256. https://doi.org/10.1001/archpsyc.58.3.251.

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Strauss, C. C., Forehand, R., Frame, C., & Smith, K. (1984). Characteristics of children with extreme scores on the children’s depression inventory. Journal of Clinical Child & Adolescent Psychology, 13, 227–231. https://doi.org/10.1080/15374418409533194.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • van Niekerk, R. E., Klein, A. M., Allart-van Dam, E., Hudson, J. L., Rinck, M., Hutschemaekers, G. J., et al. (2017). The role of cognitive factors in childhood social anxiety: Social threat thoughts and social skills perception. Cognitive Therapy and Research, 41, 489–497. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-016-9821-x.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Verduin, T. L., & Kendall, P. C. (2008). Peer perceptions and liking of children with anxiety disorders. Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology, 36, 459–469. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10802-007-9192-6.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Voncken, M. J., & Bögels, S. M. (2008). Social performance deficits in social anxiety disorder: Reality during conversation and biased perception during speech. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 22, 1384–1392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2008.02.001.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Zimmer-Gembeck, M. J., Hunter, T. A., & Pronk, R. (2007). A model of behaviors, peer relations and depression: Perceived social acceptance as a mediator and the divergence of perceptions. Journal of Social and Clinical Psychology, 26, 273–302. https://doi.org/10.1521/jscp.2007.26.3.273.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

We thank the elementary schools that participated in this study. We also thank the children and their parents who participated in the study, and Emmelie Flokstra and Rian Bakens for their assistance with data collection. Furthermore, we would like to thank Giovanni ten Brink for his assistance with the data preparation.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Clinical Psychology, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Jeanine M. D. Baartmans

  2. Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, The Netherlands

    Mike Rinck, Tessa A. M. Lansu, Rianne E. van Niekerk & Anke M. Klein

  3. Centre for Emotional Health, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia

    Jennifer L. Hudson

  4. Child Development and Education, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Susan M. Bögels

  5. Developmental Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    Jeanine M. D. Baartmans

Authors
  1. Jeanine M. D. Baartmans
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mike Rinck
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Jennifer L. Hudson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Tessa A. M. Lansu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Rianne E. van Niekerk
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Susan M. Bögels
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Anke M. Klein
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jeanine M. D. Baartmans.

Ethics declarations

Conflict of interest

Jeanine M. D. Baartmans, Mike Rinck, Jennifer L. Hudson, Tessa A. M. Lansu, Rianne E. van Niekerk, Susan M. Bögels, Anke M. Klein declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Informed Consent

All procedures were in accordance with the ethical standards of the institutional and/or national research committee and with the 1964 Helsinki declaration and its later amendments or comparable ethical standards. Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Animal Rights

No animal studies were carried out by the authors for this article.

Additional information

Publisher's Note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Baartmans, J.M.D., Rinck, M., Hudson, J.L. et al. Are Socially Anxious Children Really Less Liked, or Do They Only Think So?. Cogn Ther Res 43, 1043–1050 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-019-10028-9

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10608-019-10028-9

Keywords

Search

Navigation