Abstract
OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to determine the relationship between depressive symptoms, alexithymia, emotion regulation difficulties and empathy in adolescents with social anxiety disorder and to compare the findings with healthy controls. METHOD: Our study included a total of 100 adolescents aged 12-18 years, consisting of 50 with social anxiety disorder (SAD) who applied to the child and adolescent psychiatry outpatient clinic between June 2022 and November 2022, and 50 healthy controls. Participants were evaluated with Beck Depression Inventory, Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents, Toronto Alexithymia Scale, Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale and Basic Empathy Scale. RESULTS: Alexithymia, depressive symptoms and emotion regulation difficulties were significantly higher in adolescents diagnosed with social anxiety disorder compared to healthy controls, but no significant difference was found in empathy skills. The severity of social anxiety disorder was significantly related to depressive symptoms, alexithymia, and emotion regulation difficulties. Logistic regression analysis revealed maternal age, depressive symptoms, and alexithymia as the factors associated with social anxiety disorder in adolescents. CONCLUSION: Our study shows that depressive symptoms, alexithymia, and emotion regulation difficulties may be observed in adolescents with social anxiety disorder, and it is important to consider these factors in clinical assessment and intervention processes.