Influence of Family Status and Relationships on Social Phobia among Young Adults in Nigerian Universities

Abstract

Not very much literature offers a clear review of the influence or relationship of different levels of family status on social phobia among the sufferers. It is opined that there is little doubt that people with social phobia have fewer social relationships than other people because they have been shown to have fewer friends, fewer dating and sexual relationships, and to be less likely to marry than people in the general population or even patients with other anxiety disorders. Social phobia is a debilitating psychiatric condition that is treatable but often remains undetected and untreated and without treatment, clients are at risk for complications, such as reduced quality of life, social interactions, daily functioning, and treatment adherence. This study seeks to fill the gap by investigating the influence of family and relationship status on social phobia among young adults in Nigerian universities. 400 students were surveyed from 5 universities in southwest Nigeria, two of which are private universities and the other three are public ones. The Social Phobia Inventory (SPIN) was used to collect data for the study. Findings showed adolescents from divorced homes experience significantly higher social phobia than both adolescents from monogamous and polygamous homes. Findings also show a significant difference in the social phobia of adolescents who were in a relationship and the adolescents who were not. Findings may be useful in further understanding the nature of social phobia among young adults and determining possible clinical intervention in schools.