Social Anxiety Models
Measurement and Construct Overlap
Current Study
Methods
Participants
Neurotypical Sample
Autism Sample
Measures
Neurotypical Sample
Autism Quotient-28 (AQ-28; Hoekstra et al. 2011)
Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A; La Greca et al 2015)
Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire 18 + (SDQ; Goodman et al. 1998)
Autism Sample
Social Responsiveness Scale—Short (SRS-S; Kanne et al. 2009)
Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A; La Greca et al 2015)
Warwick Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale (WEMWBS; Tennant et al. 2007)
Data Analyses
Results
Neurotypical Sample
M (SD) | Range | Skewness | Kurtosis | Cronbach’s α | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | 18.28 (.50) | 17–19 | .43 | − .57 | – |
A-Level average | 5.08 (.58) | 3–6 | – | – | – |
Gender | (n) | (%) | – | – | |
Male | 54 | 20.20 | – | – | – |
Female | 213 | 79.80 | – | – | – |
Unknown | 0 | 0 | – | – | – |
Ethnicity | |||||
White | 211 | 79.00 | – | – | – |
Black | 3 | 1.12 | – | – | – |
Asian | 37 | 13.86 | – | – | – |
Mixed/other | 16 | 5.99 | – | – | – |
Faculty | – | – | |||
Science | 33 | 16.50 | – | – | – |
Engineering | 13 | 4.90 | – | – | – |
Technology | 11 | 4.10 | – | – | – |
Mathematics | 6 | 2.20 | – | – | – |
Humanities and arts | 9 | 3.40 | – | – | – |
Social sciences | 184 | 68.90 | – | – | – |
AQ-28 | |||||
Social behaviour | 54.63 (8.88) | 32–83 | .30 | .21 | .79 |
Number/pattern | 11.21 (3.21) | 5–20 | .29 | − .19 | .73 |
Total | 62.72 (9.90) | 36–92 | .30 | .22 | .83 |
SAS-A | |||||
Fear of negative evaluation | 25.07 (6.18) | 9–40 | .13 | − .05 | .90 |
New situations | 20.01 (4.49) | 8–30 | .09 | − .32 | .86 |
General | 10.93 (3.21) | 4–20 | .28 | − .01 | .77 |
Total | 56.02 (11.94) | 23—87 | .19 | − .05 | .92 |
SDQ | |||||
Internalising | 7.11 (3.16) | 0–18 | .28 | − .08 | .67; .69* |
Externalising | 5.06 (2.59) | 0–13 | .45 | .19 | .57 |
Total | 12.17 (4.54) | 0–28 | .41 | .43 | .60 |
Item | Measure | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | F6 | F7 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(a) Structure matrix | ||||||||
I find social situations easy | AQ-28 | .813 | − .302 | .288 | .412 | .152 | − .246 | − .101 |
I feel shy around people I don’t know | SAS-A | .786 | − .344 | .294 | .294 | .284 | − .155 | .072 |
I get nervous when I talk to peers I don’t know very well | SAS-A | .777 | − .490 | .269 | .224 | .360 | − .236 | .079 |
I’m quiet when I’m with a group of people | SAS-A | .771 | − .265 | .152 | .351 | .124 | − .322 | .058 |
I find it hard to make new friends | AQ-28 | .747 | − .317 | .339 | .341 | .206 | − .267 | − .139 |
I get nervous when I meet new people | SAS-A | .745 | − .497 | .303 | .194 | .440 | − .228 | .000 |
I am nervous in new situations. I easily lose confidence | SDQ | .719 | − .394 | .186 | .175 | .431 | − .140 | .243 |
I only talk to people I know really well | SAS-A | .715 | − .193 | .240 | .261 | .049 | − .248 | − .102 |
I enjoy meeting new people | AQ-28 | .642 | − .199 | .108 | .510 | .071 | − .171 | − .129 |
I feel nervous when I’m around certain people | SAS-A | .601 | − .532 | .047 | .171 | .328 | − .502 | .001 |
I worry about what others say about me | SAS-A | .278 | − .854 | .130 | .024 | .330 | − .221 | .008 |
I worry that others don’t like me | SAS-A | .396 | − .828 | .048 | .122 | .334 | − .241 | .011 |
I worry about what others think of me | SAS-A | .328 | − .818 | .047 | .071 | .360 | − .086 | .216 |
I’m afraid that others will not like me | SAS-A | .388 | − .813 | .082 | .037 | .303 | − .169 | .130 |
I feel that others make fun of me | SAS-A | .201 | − .719 | .197 | .158 | .253 | − .297 | − .378 |
I worry about being teased | SAS-A | .374 | − .708 | .125 | .088 | .261 | − .090 | − .184 |
If I get into an argument, I worry that the other person will not like me | SAS-A | .195 | − .663 | .048 | − .032 | .161 | − .331 | − .001 |
I feel that peers talk about me behind my back | SAS-A | .303 | − .652 | .169 | .158 | .178 | − .269 | − .347 |
I worry about doing something new in front of others | SAS-A | .501 | − .543 | .241 | .177 | .395 | − .059 | .194 |
I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions | AQ-28 | .282 | − .224 | .822 | .004 | .118 | − .272 | − .134 |
When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the character’s intentions | AQ-28 | .123 | − .008 | .776 | .051 | .059 | − .113 | − .023 |
I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face | AQ-28 | .267 | − .087 | .713 | .219 | − .092 | − .076 | .044 |
I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own | AQ-28 | .218 | − .049 | − .022 | .782 | .015 | − .218 | − .038 |
I would rather be alone than with other people | SDQ | .364 | − .105 | .050 | .740 | .251 | − .264 | − .108 |
I find myself drawn more strongly to other people than do things | AQ-28 | .292 | − .088 | .300 | .701 | − .065 | − .010 | − .044 |
I enjoy social occasions | AQ-28 | .610 | − .113 | .223 | .660 | .071 | − .304 | − .159 |
I worry a lot | SDQ | .130 | − .458 | − .016 | .059 | .737 | − .114 | .223 |
I am often unhappy, depressed, or tearful | SDQ | .244 | − .311 | .073 | .195 | .675 | − .329 | − .295 |
New situations make me anxious | AQ-28 | .600 | − .357 | .121 | .100 | .637 | − .131 | .104 |
I get a lot of headaches, stomach aches or sickness | SDQ | .285 | − .131 | .053 | .000 | .625 | − .072 | − .288 |
I have many fears, I am easily scared | SDQ | .190 | − .481 | .125 | .062 | .582 | − .181 | − .118 |
I feel shy even with peers I know well | SAS-A | .430 | − .344 | .277 | .269 | .216 | − .680 | − .070 |
It’s hard for me to ask others to do things for me | SAS-A | .434 | − .415 | .072 | .265 | .034 | − .675 | .195 |
I’m afraid to invite others to do things with me because they might say no | SAS-A | .502 | − .501 | .167 | .070 | .137 | − .664 | − .109 |
I have at least one good friend | SDQ | .051 | .021 | .260 | .205 | .153 | − .581 | − .154 |
Other people pick on me or bully me | SDQ | .110 | − .240 | .039 | .166 | .298 | − .095 | − .688 |
(b) Pattern matrix | ||||||||
I find social situations easy | AQ-28 | .738 | − .029 | .088 | .154 | − .041 | − .024 | − .086 |
I’m quiet when I’m with a group of people | SAS-A | .726 | .013 | − .042 | .106 | − .050 | − .156 | .073 |
I only talk to people I know really well | SAS-A | .724 | .053 | .064 | .006 | − .116 | − .084 | − .101 |
I feel shy around people I don’t know | SAS-A | .703 | − .058 | .125 | .064 | .110 | .054 | .083 |
I find it hard to make new friends | AQ-28 | .649 | − .046 | .157 | .092 | .021 | − .053 | − .117 |
I get nervous when I talk to peers I don’t know very well | SAS-A | .647 | − .201 | .095 | − .007 | .151 | − .021 | .094 |
I am nervous in new situations. I easily lose confidence | SDQ | .625 | − .093 | .042 | − .016 | .279 | .034 | .256 |
I get nervous when I meet new people | SAS-A | .599 | − .197 | .137 | − .033 | .238 | − .007 | .021 |
I enjoy meeting new people | AQ-28 | .571 | − .009 | -.068 | .331 | − .073 | .017 | − .115 |
I feel nervous when I’m around certain people | SAS-A | .435 | − .279 | − .130 | − .032 | .113 | − .352 | .033 |
I worry about what others say about me | SAS-A | − .045 | − .836 | .051 | − .027 | .074 | − .034 | .026 |
I worry about what others think of me | SAS-A | .032 | − .791 | − .026 | .047 | .129 | .097 | .225 |
I worry that others don’t like me | SAS-A | .102 | − .765 | − .068 | .043 | .070 | − .040 | .026 |
I’m afraid that others will not like me | SAS-A | .126 | − .762 | − .013 | − .036 | .048 | .017 | .135 |
I feel that others make fun of me | SAS-A | − .130 | − .717 | .104 | .095 | .017 | − .097 | − .344 |
I worry about being teased | SAS-A | .159 | − .670 | .023 | − .002 | .016 | .123 | − .188 |
If I get into an argument, I worry that the other person will not like me | SAS-A | − .039 | − .653 | − .025 | − .093 | − .054 | − .220 | .016 |
I feel that peers talk about me behind my back | SAS-A | .051 | − .625 | .057 | .057 | − .063 | − .070 | − .329 |
I worry about doing something new in front of others | SAS-A | .285 | − .383 | .147 | .078 | .228 | .132 | .213 |
When I’m reading a story, I find it difficult to work out the character’s intentions | AQ-28 | − .042 | .082 | .794 | − .034 | .055 | − .036 | .034 |
I find it difficult to work out people’s intentions | AQ-28 | .083 | − .083 | .788 | − .158 | .020 | − .144 | − .079 |
I find it easy to work out what someone is thinking or feeling just by looking at their face | AQ-28 | .103 | − .031 | .690 | .119 | − .151 | .046 | .086 |
I prefer to do things with others rather than on my own | AQ-28 | − .028 | − .002 | − .126 | .791 | − .008 | − .105 | .032 |
I would rather be alone than with other people | SDQ | .111 | .061 | − .083 | .689 | .212 | − .15 | − .031 |
I find myself drawn more strongly to other people than do things | AQ-28 | .061 | − .075 | .222 | .682 | − .118 | .159 | .006 |
I enjoy social occasions | AQ-28 | .463 | .102 | .044 | .485 | − .040 | − .120 | − .109 |
I worry a lot | SDQ | − .157 | − .290 | − .040 | .093 | .694 | − .026 | .278 |
I am often unhappy, depressed, or tearful | SDQ | .005 | − .062 | − .022 | .116 | .615 | .206 | − .227 |
I get a lot of headaches, stomach aches or sickness | SDQ | .241 | .132 | − .019 | − .103 | .602 | .026 | − .266 |
New situations make me anxious | AQ-28 | .497 | − .026 | − .003 | − .062 | .529 | .024 | .127 |
I have many fears, I am easily scared | SDQ | − .071 | − .335 | .070 | .025 | .479 | − .048 | − .072 |
It’s hard for me to ask others to do things for me | SAS-A | .219 | − .251 | − .077 | .109 | − .144 | − .600 | .253 |
I have at least one good friend | SDQ | − .143 | .183 | .205 | .123 | .161 | − .582 | − .061 |
I feel shy even with peers I know well | SAS-A | .186 | − .108 | .131 | .084 | .069 | − .573 | .009 |
I’m afraid to invite others to do things with me because they might say no | SAS-A | .342 | − .293 | .001 | − .158 | − .092 | − .549 | − .071 |
Other people pick on me or bully me | SDQ | .009 | − .176 | − .037 | .050 | .203 | .042 | − .676 |
Autism Sample
M (SD) | Range | Skewness | Kurtosis | Cronbach’s α | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Age | 17.59 (1.1) | 15–22 | 1.60 | 4.49 | – |
Gender | (n) | (%) | |||
Male | 99 | 68.3 | – | – | – |
Female | 43 | 29.7 | – | – | – |
Unknown | 3 | 2.1 | – | – | – |
Ethnicity | |||||
White | 132 | 91.03 | – | – | – |
Asian | 4 | 2.76 | – | – | – |
Black | 1 | 069 | – | – | – |
Mixed/other | 7 | 4.83 | – | – | – |
SAS-A total | 59.99 (13.97) | 22–89 | − .13 | − .35 | .93 |
Fear of negative evaluation | 25.52 (7.86) | 8–40 | − .14 | − .51 | .92 |
Social avoidance/distress (New) | 21.89 (4.93) | 7–30 | − .47 | − .35 | .86 |
Social avoidance/distress (Gen) | 12.57 (3.52) | 4–20 | − .02 | − .49 | .74 |
SRS total | 18.20 (5.95) | 0–32 | − .25 | .08 | .80 |
WEMWBS total | 44.52 (8.08) | 19–70 | − .05 | .63 | .86 |
Item | Measure | F1 | F2 | F3 | F4 | F5 | F6 |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
(a) Structure matrix | |||||||
I worry about what others say about me | SAS-A | .840 | − .117 | .351 | .167 | − .317 | − .380 |
I worry that others don’t like me | SAS-A | .831 | − .168 | .464 | .200 | − .293 | − .494 |
I feel that others make fun of me | SAS-A | .813 | − .072 | .308 | .327 | .173 | − .211 |
I feel that peers talk about me behind my back | SAS-A | .800 | − .142 | .131 | .127 | .205 | − .227 |
I worry about what others think of me | SAS-A | .791 | − .195 | .316 | .068 | − .369 | − .420 |
I’m afraid that others will not like me | SAS-A | .777 | − .272 | .363 | .183 | − .308 | − .442 |
I worry about being teased | SAS-A | .759 | − .063 | .445 | .167 | − .033 | − .246 |
I feel nervous when I’m around certain people | SAS-A | .652 | − .080 | .493 | .271 | .049 | − .487 |
If I get into an argument, I worry that the other person will not like me | SAS-A | .563 | − .081 | .296 | .148 | − .249 | − .545 |
I worry about doing something new in front of others | SAS-A | .519 | .035 | .465 | .268 | − .153 | − .434 |
I’ve been feeling good about myself | WEMWBS | − .166 | .830 | − .216 | − .035 | − .057 | .253 |
I’ve been feeling cheerful | WEMWBS | − .131 | .771 | − .123 | − .006 | − .135 | .163 |
I’ve been feeling useful | WEMWBS | − .098 | .755 | − .242 | − .328 | − .110 | .114 |
I’ve been feeling close to other people | WEMWBS | − .049 | .727 | − .245 | − .294 | − .261 | .058 |
I feel shy around people I don’t know | SAS-A | .334 | − .232 | .869 | .250 | − .026 | − .294 |
I get nervous when I talk to peers I don’t know very well | SAS-A | .381 | − .223 | .862 | .225 | − .057 | − .434 |
I get nervous when I meet new people | SAS-A | .370 | − .208 | .838 | .249 | .019 | − .328 |
I only talk to people I know really well | SAS-A | .145 | − .183 | .768 | .206 | .082 | − .334 |
I’m quiet when I’m with a group of people | SAS-A | .190 | − .198 | .670 | .215 | .172 | − .460 |
I have difficulty relating to peers | SRS | .206 | − .231 | .114 | .733 | .203 | − .394 |
Compared to others, I have a restricted or unusually narrow range of interests | SRS | .027 | − .122 | .246 | .692 | .004 | − .163 |
I am sometimes regarded by other people as odd or weird | SRS | .338 | − .011 | .143 | .686 | .339 | .088 |
I have trouble keeping up with the flow of a normal conversation | SRS | .242 | − .205 | .389 | .636 | − .064 | − .279 |
I would rather be alone than with others | SRS | .099 | − .253 | .210 | .165 | .773 | − .245 |
I’ve been feeling interested in other people | WEMWBS | .163 | .490 | .090 | − .129 | − .652 | − .079 |
It’s hard for me to ask others to do things with me | SAS-A | .226 | − .237 | .427 | .231 | .216 | − .755 |
I have difficulty making friends, even when trying my best | SRS | .387 | − .141 | .399 | .424 | .158 | − .709 |
I’m afraid to invite others to do things with me because they might say no | SAS-A | .352 | − .195 | .413 | .195 | − .052 | − .707 |
I feel shy even with peers I know well | SAS-A | .351 | − .119 | .524 | .225 | .029 | − .596 |
(b) Pattern matrix | |||||||
I feel that peers talk about me behind my back | SAS-A | .875 | − .063 | − .153 | − .052 | .280 | − .007 |
I feel that others make fun of me | SAS-A | .821 | .047 | .052 | .146 | .226 | .091 |
I worry about what others say about me | SAS-A | .761 | − .058 | .059 | .018 | − .262 | − .089 |
I worry about being teased | SAS-A | .712 | .039 | .264 | − .023 | .032 | .081 |
I worry about what others think of me | SAS-A | .707 | − .158 | .017 | − .079 | − .316 | − .162 |
I worry that others don’t like me | SAS-A | .691 | − .077 | .151 | .018 | − .246 | − .186 |
I’m afraid that others will not like me | SAS-A | .664 | − .215 | .040 | .025 | − .283 | − .161 |
I feel nervous when I’m around certain people | SAS-A | .503 | .075 | .237 | .068 | .096 | − .231 |
If I get into an argument, I worry that the other person will not like me | SAS-A | .410 | − .001 | .000 | .025 | − .209 | − .402 |
I worry about doing something new in front of others | SAS-A | .342 | .157 | .268 | .131 | − .118 | − .216 |
I’ve been feeling good about myself | WEMWBS | − .076 | .824 | − .015 | .109 | .037 | .097 |
I’ve been feeling cheerful | WEMWBS | − .094 | .775 | .048 | .120 | − .049 | .038 |
I’ve been feeling useful | WEMWBS | .009 | .728 | − .072 | − .231 | .031 | − .083 |
I’ve been feeling close to other people | WEMWBS | .030 | .685 | − .123 | − .180 | − .130 | − .132 |
I feel shy around people I don’t know | SAS-A | .074 | − .072 | .862 | .026 | − .044 | .095 |
I get nervous when I meet new people | SAS-A | .122 | − .039 | .804 | .019 | .012 | .045 |
I get nervous when I talk to peers I don’t know very well | SAS-A | .095 | − .052 | .794 | − .011 | − .061 | − .076 |
I only talk to people I know really well | SAS-A | − .120 | − .017 | .777 | .007 | .062 | − .058 |
I’m quiet when I’m with a group of people | SAS-A | − .066 | − .019 | .586 | .006 | .162 | − .245 |
Compared to others I have a restricted or unusually narrow range of interests | SRS | − .165 | − .030 | .095 | .704 | − .114 | − .043 |
I have difficulty relating to peers | SRS | .036 | − .106 | − .234 | .697 | .102 | − .333 |
I am sometimes regarded by other people as odd or weird | SRS | .341 | .096 | .002 | .646 | .285 | .295 |
I have trouble keeping up with the flow of a normal conversation | SRS | .027 | − .096 | .185 | .579 | − .157 | − .070 |
I would rather be alone than with others | SRS | .071 | − .088 | .093 | − .028 | .773 | − .190 |
I’ve been feeling interested in other people | WEMWBS | .182 | .404 | − .034 | − .007 | − .578 | .064 |
It’s hard for me to ask others to do things with me | SAS-A | − .040 | − .054 | .135 | .039 | .213 | − .702 |
I’m afraid to invite others to do things with me because they might say no | SAS-A | .101 | − .057 | .116 | .034 | − .044 | − .610 |
I have difficulty making friends, even when trying my best | SRS | .140 | .046 | .051 | .259 | .152 | − .607 |
I feel shy even with peers I know well | SAS-A | .108 | .042 | .311 | .044 | .044 | − .436 |
Item (number) | La Greca and Lopez (1998) | Neurotypical sample | Autism sample |
---|---|---|---|
I worry about what others say about me (12) | Y | Y | Y |
I worry that others don’t like me (14) | Y | Y | Y |
I’m afraid that others will not like me (9) | Y | Y | Y |
I worry about what others think of me (8) | Y | Y | Y |
I feel that others make fun of me (17) | Y | Y | Y |
I worry about being teased (3) | Y | Y | Y |
I feel that peers talk about me behind my back (6) | Y | Y | Y |
If I get into an argument, I worry that the other person will not like me (8) | Y | Y | Y |
I worry about doing something new in front of others (1) | N (Social avoidance and distress – New situations) | Y* | Y* |
I feel nervous when I’m around certain people (20) | N (Social avoidance and distress – New situations) | Y* | Y |