Prevalence and correlates of social fears in Hong Kong

Abstract

This study examined the 12-month prevalence of social fears and their correlates in Hong Kong. A random telephone survey of 3006 Chinese individuals aged 15–45 years was conducted using a questionnaire that covered sociodemographic information, 14 social fears, age of onset, duration of fear, DSM-IV diagnostic features of social anxiety disorder and other psychosocial features. The prevalence of any social fear was 28.7%. The most common fear was talking to a person of higher status. Respondents with social fears were more likely to be younger and female than those without. A two-step cluster analysis revealed three subgroups with 1–3 (34.0%), 4–7 (43.9%) and 8–13 (22.0%) fears, respectively. As the number of social fears increased across these subgroups, respondents exhibited younger age of onset, more physical symptoms, avoidance behavior, impairment, and suicidality. The prevalence and profile of social fears among Chinese people resembled those of their Western counterparts.