An investigation of social anxiety and stigma amongst adolescents with mild intellectual disabilities

Background: Experiences and perceptions of stigma have been shown to play a role in the psychopathology of individuals with intellectual disability. In particular, stigma may impact upon evaluative cognitions amongst this group. Despite this, the association between stigma and socio-evaluative concerns and social anxiety has not been explored in this group. The study of social anxiety amongst adolescents with intellectual disability is of particular interest since the onset of social anxiety peaks in adolescence. Methods: Twenty-seven adolescents attending learning support classes at further education colleges participated. They completed a series of self-report measures on social anxiety, perceived stigma, and experiences of stigma. Their college tutors also completed rating scales measuring participants’ social skills. Results: Positive associations between experiences and perceptions of stigma, and social anxiety were found. Lower social skills were not associated with elevated social anxiety, nor did these contribute to the observed association between social anxiety and perceptions and experience of stigma. Conclusions: This study highlights that anxiety in social situations can be an issue for adolescents with ID, and requires consideration in both theoretical developments and clinical practice. In exploring experiences of social anxiety amongst individuals with ID, the value of considering stigmatising experiences and evaluative cognitions amongst this group is emphasised. Limitations and future directions are outlined. Since this is a preliminary study, further research in this area is required