Abstract
Reports of exaggerated anxiety and physiological hyperreactivity to social-evaluative situations are characteristic of childhood
social phobia (SP). However, laboratory research on subjective, autonomic and endocrine functioning in childhood SP is scarce,
inconsistent and limited by small sample sizes, limited breadth of measurements, and the use of non-standardized stressor
tasks. We exposed 8–12-year-old children with DSM-IV SP (n = 41) and matched healthy control children (HC; n = 40) to the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C) while measuring subjective anxiety, heart rate (HR) and salivary
alpha-amylase (sAA) as well as salivary cortisol. The SP children showed heightened reactivity to the TSST-C on subjective
anxiety compared to the HC children but not a heightened reactivity in HR, sAA or cortisol. However, the SP children showed
chronically elevated HR levels throughout the whole laboratory session. Whereas subjective anxiety seems to respond specifically
to social-evaluative stress in childhood SP, HR levels may be chronically elevated suggesting a more generalized autonomic
hyperreactivity.
social phobia (SP). However, laboratory research on subjective, autonomic and endocrine functioning in childhood SP is scarce,
inconsistent and limited by small sample sizes, limited breadth of measurements, and the use of non-standardized stressor
tasks. We exposed 8–12-year-old children with DSM-IV SP (n = 41) and matched healthy control children (HC; n = 40) to the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C) while measuring subjective anxiety, heart rate (HR) and salivary
alpha-amylase (sAA) as well as salivary cortisol. The SP children showed heightened reactivity to the TSST-C on subjective
anxiety compared to the HC children but not a heightened reactivity in HR, sAA or cortisol. However, the SP children showed
chronically elevated HR levels throughout the whole laboratory session. Whereas subjective anxiety seems to respond specifically
to social-evaluative stress in childhood SP, HR levels may be chronically elevated suggesting a more generalized autonomic
hyperreactivity.
- Content Type Journal Article
- Pages 1-10
- DOI 10.1007/s10802-011-9548-9
- Authors
- Martina Krämer, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Engelbergerstrasse 41, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Wiebke Lina Seefeldt, Department of Clinical Psychology, Psychotherapy and Diagnostic, Technical University of Braunschweig, Braunschweig, Germany
- Nina Heinrichs, Department of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Bielefeld, Bielefeld, Germany
- Brunna Tuschen-Caffier, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Engelbergerstrasse 41, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Julian Schmitz, Department of Clinical Psychology and Psychotherapy, University of Freiburg, Engelbergerstrasse 41, 79106 Freiburg, Germany
- Oliver Tobias Wolf, Department of Cognitive Psychology, University of Bochum, Bochum, Germany
- Jens Blechert, Department of Psychology, University of Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria
- Journal Journal of Abnormal Child Psychology
- Online ISSN 1573-2835
- Print ISSN 0091-0627