TY - JOUR
T1 - A Japanese form of social anxiety (taijin kyofusho)
T2 - Frequency and correlates in two generations of the same family
AU - Essau, Cecilia A.
AU - Sasagawa, Satoko
AU - Ishikawa, Shin Ichi
AU - Okajima, Isa
AU - O'Callaghan, Jean
AU - Bray, Diane
PY - 2012/11
Y1 - 2012/11
N2 - Background: One specific type of social anxiety, occurring primarily in Japanese culture, is called taijin kyofusho. Taijin kyofusho is characterized by an intense fear that one's body parts or functions displease, embarrass or are offensive to others. Aim: The main aim of the present study was to compare the frequency and correlates of taijin kyofusho symptoms (TKS) in Japanese adolescents and their parents. Method: The sample included 351 adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years, and one of their parents/guardians. These adolescents were recruited from secondary schools in Miyazaki, Japan. All participants completed a set of questionnaires that were used to measure TKS, DSM-IV anxiety disorder symptoms, general difficulties and positive attributes, selfconstruals and social support. Results: Adolescents reported significantly more TKS than their parent/guardians. In each generational sample high TKS was significantly associated with high levels of anxiety symptoms, the strongest correlation being with social phobia. The pattern of the relationship between self-construal and TKS differed across the two generations. Among adolescents, independent self-construal was associated with lower TKS, whereas among parents, interdependent self-construal was associated with lower evaluative concerns from others. Conclusion: The present study illustrates the importance of the diverse roles that self-construals play in TKS across different generations of the same family constellation in contemporary Japanese culture.
AB - Background: One specific type of social anxiety, occurring primarily in Japanese culture, is called taijin kyofusho. Taijin kyofusho is characterized by an intense fear that one's body parts or functions displease, embarrass or are offensive to others. Aim: The main aim of the present study was to compare the frequency and correlates of taijin kyofusho symptoms (TKS) in Japanese adolescents and their parents. Method: The sample included 351 adolescents, aged 12 to 17 years, and one of their parents/guardians. These adolescents were recruited from secondary schools in Miyazaki, Japan. All participants completed a set of questionnaires that were used to measure TKS, DSM-IV anxiety disorder symptoms, general difficulties and positive attributes, selfconstruals and social support. Results: Adolescents reported significantly more TKS than their parent/guardians. In each generational sample high TKS was significantly associated with high levels of anxiety symptoms, the strongest correlation being with social phobia. The pattern of the relationship between self-construal and TKS differed across the two generations. Among adolescents, independent self-construal was associated with lower TKS, whereas among parents, interdependent self-construal was associated with lower evaluative concerns from others. Conclusion: The present study illustrates the importance of the diverse roles that self-construals play in TKS across different generations of the same family constellation in contemporary Japanese culture.
KW - anxiety symptoms
KW - self-construals
KW - social anxiety disorder
KW - taijin kyofusho
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U2 - 10.1177/0020764011421099
DO - 10.1177/0020764011421099
M3 - Article
C2 - 21911434
AN - SCOPUS:84868156492
VL - 58
SP - 635
EP - 642
JO - International Journal of Social Psychiatry
JF - International Journal of Social Psychiatry
SN - 0020-7640
IS - 6
ER -
