Much more than just shyness: the impact of social anxiety disorder on educational performance across the lifespan

• DOI: 10.1017/s0033291719003908
• Publication Date: 2020-01-07T09:26:49Z
• Authors: Alba Vilaplana-Pérez; Ana Pérez-Vigil; Anna Sidorchuk; Gustaf Brander; Kayoko Isomura; Eva Hesselmark; Ralf Kuja-Halkola; Henrik Larsson; David Mataix-Cols; Lorena Fernández ...
• Keywords: Shyness

Social anxiety disorder (SAD) has been linked to academic underachievement, but previous studies had methodological limitations. We investigated the association between SAD and objective indicators of educational performance, controlling for a number covariates unmeasured confounders shared siblings.This population-based birth cohort study included 2 238 837 individuals born in Sweden 1973 1997, followed-up until 2013. Within cohort, 15 755 recorded ICD-10 diagnosis Swedish National Patient Register. Logistic regression models tested performance. also identified 6488 families with full siblings discordant SAD.Compared unexposed individuals, diagnosed were less likely pass all subjects last year compulsory education [adjusted odds ratios (aOR) ranging from 0.19 0.44] be eligible vocational or programme upper secondary [aOR = 0.31 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.30-0.33) aOR 0.52 CI 0.50-0.55), respectively], finish 0.19-0.20)], start university degree 0.47 0.45-0.49)], obtain 0.35 0.33-0.37)], postgraduate 0.58 0.43-0.80)]. Results attenuated remained statistically significant adjusted sibling comparison models. When psychiatric comorbidities taken into account, results largely unchanged.Treatment-seeking have substantially impaired performance throughout formative years. Early detection intervention are warranted minimise long-term socioeconomic impact disorder.