Coping Behavior for Social Phobia

119

Abstract

Social phobias remain widespread disorders, with only a small proportion of people seeking qualified help. In addition, at the moment there is a lack of comprehensive studies of coping behavior in social phobias. In this regard, a comprehensive study of this phenomenon becomes relevant. This work includes issues of social frustration and social support, as well as the level of perceived stress, which allows a more holistic view of the process of coping with stress. The article describes the results of a study of coping behavior in individuals with different levels of social anxiety. The study was conducted online. The sample consisted of 197 respondents: 56 of them had a low level of social anxiety, 79 had an average level, 41 respondents had an extremely high level of social anxiety, which allows us to speak about the presence of certain manifestations of social phobia. The following methods were used in the study: Social Anxiety and Social Phobia Questionnaire; Ways of coping behavior; personal questionnaire Big 5 adapted by D.P.Yanichev; Multidimensional scale of perception of social support in the adaptation of V.M.Yaltonsky and N.A. Sirota; The level of social frustration and the Scale of perceived stress — 10. The results of the study indicate an increased level of perceived stress and a lack of coping resources in a group of people with social phobia. In turn, the coping strategies of this group are not balanced: there is a predominance of avoidance with a rare use of problem solving planning, the search for social support and positive reassessment. In addition, the level of social frustration for the group of people with social phobias is higher than for the average and low levels of social anxiety. In general terms, we can talk about maladaptive coping behavior in individuals with social phobia.

General Information

Keywords: social anxiety, social phobia, coping strategies, coping resources

Journal rubric: Empirical and Experimental Research

Article type: scientific article

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21638/spbu16.2023.202

Received: 18.08.2022

Accepted:

For citation: Luneva P.D., Ababkov V.A. Coping Behavior for Social Phobia. Vestnik of Saint Petersburg University. Psychology, 2023. Vol. 13, no. 2, pp. 147–163. DOI: 10.21638/spbu16.2023.202. (In Russ., аbstr. in Engl.)

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Information About the Authors

Polina D. Luneva, student, Saint-Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0009-8138-239X, e-mail: polinal.psy@yandex.ru

Valentin A. Ababkov, Doctor of Medicine, Professor, Professor, Chair of Medical Psychology and Psychophysiology, Psychological Department, Saint-Petersburg State University, St.Petersburg, Russia, ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1925-8397, e-mail: valababkov@mail.ru

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