Saed News: Below, in addition to a brief explanation about the issue of social anxiety in children, several effective strategies are also provided for you.
According to the Social Service of Saed News, when you hear the term "social anxiety" in relation to children, what kind of anxiety comes to mind? The fear children have of being present and speaking in public? That they withdraw from participating in games or are afraid of facing a large crowd or being in busy social environments? Sahar Pahlevan Nashan, a child and adolescent psychologist, discusses this issue in our children.
All the guests are waiting for Mahya to start! Her mother has praised her new memorized poem, and it's time for her to perform and receive her prize. However, the little girl insists that she won’t say a word, especially in front of so many people!
Fear of Being Evaluated
Fear and worry about being present and speaking in public, participating in group games, being in crowded social environments... Pahlevan Nashan says: "This is somewhat accurate, but social anxiety disorder (SAD) involves broader behaviors. This disorder can have a generalized or specific type. One characteristic of children with social anxiety is that they fear being in social settings, not because of the number of people, but because of the fear of being noticed or evaluated."
Children Fear Being Ridiculed
The child worries about negative judgment from others and fears rejection. As a result, they don’t know how to behave in social situations. The child and adolescent psychologist sees these judgments as the basis of the child's worry, stating: "Our child is afraid of making mistakes or saying something wrong, fearing others will ridicule them. These worries can make them avoid activities like reading aloud in class."
The Role of Perfectionist Parents in Raising an Anxious Child
Perfectionist parents who excessively support their children can prevent them from behaving appropriately in social situations. Pahlevan Nashan explains: "For example, in various situations and encounters with different people, children don't know how to respond first—should they greet, smile, or make eye contact? They're worried they will make a mistake and be mocked by others."
Compensating for Verbal Weakness with Non-verbal Strategies
Also, children with a limited vocabulary may not know how to respond in social situations. For example, when someone greets them or asks how they are, they may not know how to respond. In these cases, non-verbal behaviors like saluting or clapping can help reduce the child’s anxiety.
What’s Going on Inside Anxious Children?
Brain scans of children with social anxiety show increased blood flow in the amygdala part of their brain. This increased blood flow affects the brainstem, regulating their heart rate and breathing. This causes the child to feel anxious and in danger in social situations. This anxiety can manifest as shaking, heart palpitations, dizziness, and other panic or severe phobia symptoms.
The Role of Genetics and Environmental Factors in Anxiety in Children
On the other hand, there is a child who is five or six years old with high social skills. They can easily interact with even strangers and have an extensive vocabulary. Strangely, they answer all the questions you expect and even try to surprise you during a phone conversation, doing so skillfully. This child has definitely learned these skills earlier than their age. To some extent, this depends on the child’s personality. If the child is extroverted and eager to experience new things or engage in unique creative activities, they may expose themselves to new experiences, finding these challenges exciting. But how much of these traits is acquired and how much is inherent in the child’s body? Pahlevan Nashan says: "For example, their father may have high social skills or a close relative may be very socially effective. Some of these traits might be genetically transferred or could be a family talent. Studies show that about 15 to 20 percent of these traits depend on genetics and the family environment. If parents tend to be introverted, it is less likely that their child will not suffer from social anxiety."
What Should We Do to Address This Disorder?
If we feel that our children suffer from social anxiety, we should find strategies to manage this issue and help them lead a calm life with a sense of security. Encouraging children to nurture self-esteem can be effective in alleviating social anxiety. We should also encourage them to express their emotions and opinions in front of others and to speak in social situations, while ensuring they receive support from the family. We can plan group and social activities for our children and encourage them to attend such events; activities that can greatly help them learn more and express their opinions for socializing. We should try to think and speak positively so that children do not learn negative thinking and anxiety from us as an influential model. We need to teach them to have conscious behavior and responses based on awareness in situations that can create tension, pressure, and anxiety.
