Looking at you or looking away? Social anxiety and gaze avoidance in children and adolescents

Social anxiety is characterized by a fear of embarrassment and negative evaluation by others. In adults, social anxiety is associated with gaze avoidance and negative interpretation of eye contact which function as a safety behaviour. Research in youth, however, is scarce and contradictory results have been found. Some findings suggest that age moderates the relationship between gaze behaviour and social anxiety, with gaze avoidance becoming more apparent during adolescence. Nevertheless, few studies have considered the normal developmental trajectory of gaze behaviour and many have used screen-based stimuli. The present study aimed to address these gaps by exploring the relationship between social anxiety and face gaze in children and adolescents during a face-to-face conversation. Specifically, it focused on: (1) whether higher social anxiety predicted reduced face gaze, (2) whether age independently influenced face gaze and (3) whether the effect of social anxiety on face gaze...Show moreSocial anxiety is characterized by a fear of embarrassment and negative evaluation by others. In adults, social anxiety is associated with gaze avoidance and negative interpretation of eye contact which function as a safety behaviour. Research in youth, however, is scarce and contradictory results have been found. Some findings suggest that age moderates the relationship between gaze behaviour and social anxiety, with gaze avoidance becoming more apparent during adolescence. Nevertheless, few studies have considered the normal developmental trajectory of gaze behaviour and many have used screen-based stimuli. The present study aimed to address these gaps by exploring the relationship between social anxiety and face gaze in children and adolescents during a face-to-face conversation. Specifically, it focused on: (1) whether higher social anxiety predicted reduced face gaze, (2) whether age independently influenced face gaze and (3) whether the effect of social anxiety on face gaze varied by age. Face gaze was operationalized as the proportion of time participants fixated on the confederate’s face during moments of self-disclosure. It was measured using Tobii Pro Glasses 2. Social anxiety was assessed using a self-report questionnaire, the Dutch version of the Social Anxiety Scale for Adolescents (SAS-A). The final sample consisted of 60 children and 40 adolescents recruited from primary and secondary schools in the Netherlands. Results showed no association between social anxiety and face gaze (β = .036, p = .725, 95% CI [-0.002, 0.004], R² = .001). A small positive trend between age and face gaze (β = .186, p = .068, 95% CI [-0.006, 0.170], R² = .035). No interaction was found between social anxiety and age (β = -.018, p = .859, 95% CI [-0.001, 0.001], R² = .060). Exploratory analysis revealed no gender differences in face gaze (p = .386, 95% CI [-0.124, 0.048], d = -.17). Despite null findings, this study contributes to the understanding of gaze development in general and its relationship with social anxiety in children and adolescents. The developmental trend suggests that face gaze may increase with age, possibly due to improved social skills and awareness of social norms.Show less

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Looking at you or looking away? Social anxiety and gaze avoidance in children and adolescents