Childhood emotional maltreatment linked to higher social anxiety in adulthood.

A meta-analysis of 29 research articles has found that emotional maltreatment in childhood is a stronger predictor of social anxiety than physical or sexual abuse. The study also revealed that the younger the participants were, the stronger the relationship between child maltreatment and social anxiety was. The research team recommends that clinicians assess individuals with either social anxiety or a history of maltreatment for the other condition. The study provides important insights into the relationship between child maltreatment and social anxiety, and future research should explore other potential causes of the relationship.