Social and Communication Difficulties and Children's Social Anxiety (1 CE)

Number of Credits: 1

This course is for: Clinical Psychologists, Counselors, Marriage & Family Therapists, and School Psychologists

Course By: Ken Springer, PhD

Content By:  Pickard, H., Happé, F., & Mandy, W. (2018). Navigating the social world: The role of social competence, peer victimisation and friendship quality in the development of social anxiety in childhood. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 60, 1-10

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2018.09.002

Course Description: Social and communication (SC) difficulties predispose children to social anxiety (SA),  but the mechanisms linking SC difficulties to SA are not fully understood. The present study used longitudinal methods to explore the role of negative friendship quality and peer victimization in the emerging relationship between SC difficulties and SA. Based on questionnaires administered to both parents and children, the researchers found that SC difficulties were associated with negative friendship quality and peer victimization, but that experiencing negative friendships and victimization did not increase the risk of children with SC difficulties developing SA in early adolescence. Moreover, relational victimization (as opposed to overt victimization) was associated with SA at age 13 but not at age 10. Overall, the results suggest that although some children with SA experience negative friendship quality and peer victimization, the link between SC difficulties and SA is not explained by negative friendships and victimization. These and other findings have implications for therapeutic approaches that focus on the pathway linking SC difficulties to SA.

Learning Objectives:

1. Understand the rationale for the study as well as the longitudinal approach to data collection
2. Describe the main findings of the study concerning the link between SC difficulties and SA, and how this link exists independently of negative friendship quality and peer victimization
3. Integrate the strengths and limitations of the study, and summarize the clinical implications for supporting children with SC difficulties and other contributors to SA

Course Outline:

• Read and understand Navigating the social world: The role of social competence, peer victimisation and friendship quality in the development of social anxiety in childhood
• Review the Course Description and Learning Objectives
• Understand the rationale for examining whether negative friendship quality and peer victimization account for the link between SC difficulties and SA
• Analyze the longitudinal methods used to gather information from parents on an annual basis and from children at three time points
• Recognize that the association between SC difficulties and SA was not explained by negative friendship quality and peer victimization
• Integrate the study's key findings, strengths, limitations, and clinical implications
• Work through the post-test questions, using the article as the sole basis for your answers
• Revisit the article for any missed questions and/or to better understand the relationship between SC difficulties and SA

Approvals: