Public speaking fears and their correlates among 17,615 Japanese adolescents

Introduction Public speaking fears (PSF) are highly prevalent in the general population. They are also among the most common symptoms of social anxiety disorder, which typically has an adolescent onset and has recently been increasingly recognized as a persistent and impairing disorder across various cultures in the world. Methods This study examined PSF and their associated factors among 17,615 adolescents, aged 12–18, in a large-scale school-based community survey in Japan. Results PSF was noted in 7.3% of the students. The prevalence was higher among girls than among boys, and it had a tendency to decrease with age. Across the gender and age groups, PSF was associated with psychopathology, including depression and anxiety, suicidal thoughts, deliberate self-harm, violence towards objects and people, and increased difficulties at school. Discussion We should no longer make light of public speaking fears among adolescents as transient, common-sense phenomena.