An empirical classification of social anxiety: Performance, interpersonal and offensive

This study empirically identified subtypes of social anxiety using a cluste r analytic approach. From 87 out-patients with social phobia (taijin kyofus ho) and 48 controls, social anxiety symptoms, social situations in which sy mptoms occur, and background information were evaluated. Factor analysis us ing the ratings of social anxiety symptoms identified four factors: sociall y inadequate feelings, performance anxiety, offensive fear, and tenacity. F our subtypes emerged from cluster analysis based on the factor scores and t hey were called performance anxiety type, offensive type, interpersonal anx iety type and mild type. chi(2) test and analysis of variance revealed the following: (i) the offensive type had the greatest symptom severity. Any si tuation could provoke symptoms, and interpersonal tense feelings became muc h stronger with persons of the same age; (ii) the interpersonal anxiety typ e was characterized by the fear of social interaction in daily life; and (i ii) patients with the offensive type and the interpersonal anxiety type pre sented more difficulties than did those with the performance anxiety type o n developmental and premorbid adjustment.