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Social Anxiety and Withdrawal

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Practitioner's Guide to Empirically Based Measures of Social Skills

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Abstract

Social anxiety, social withdrawal, and social skills are intertwined, but distinct, constructs that can mutually and independently have a significant impact on social functioning. Comprehensive definitions and descriptions of social skills are provided elsewhere in this volume; however, social anxiety is defined as a fear of negative evaluation by others and low self-confidence when performing or interacting in social situations (Rapee & Heimberg, 1997). In addition, social anxiety may be linked with poorer social-cognitive functioning, such as understanding the mental states of others in social interactions or assuming negative outcomes of social behaviors (Banerjee & Henderson, 2001; Rapee & Spence, 2004). Social anxiety is seen as existing on a continuum of intensity, from the low levels seen in socially gregarious individuals, through the typical anxiety experienced by most in situations such as public speaking, to

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, TX, 77204-5022, USA

    Peter J. Norton

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  1. Peter J. Norton
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. Psychology, University of Maine, Little Hall 5742, Orono, 04469, U.S.A.

    Douglas W. Nangle

  2. Dept. Psychology, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, Lincoln, 68588-0308, U.S.A.

    David J. Hansen

  3. Dept. Psychology, University of Maine, Little Hall 5742, Orono, 04469, U.S.A.

    Cynthia A. Erdley

  4. Dept. Psychology, University of Houston, Houston, 77204, U.S.A.

    Peter J. Norton

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Norton, P.J. (2010). Social Anxiety and Withdrawal. In: Nangle, D., Hansen, D., Erdley, C., Norton, P. (eds) Practitioner's Guide to Empirically Based Measures of Social Skills. ABCT Clinical Assessment Series. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0609-0_11

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