Individual Differences in the Ability to Recognise Facial Identity Are Associated with Social Anxiety

Previous research has been concerned with the relationship between social anxiety and the recognition of face expression but the question of whether there is a relationship between social anxiety and the recognition of face identity has been neglected. Here, we report the first evidence that social anxiety is associated with recognition of face identity, across the population range of individual differences in recognition abilities. Results showed poorer face identity recognition (on the Cambridge Face Memory Test) was correlated with a small but significant increase in social anxiety (Social Interaction Anxiety Scale) but not general anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory). The correlation was also independent of general visual memory (Cambridge Car Memory Test) and IQ. Theoretically, the correlation could arise because correct identification of people, typically achieved via faces, is important for successful social interactions, extending evidence that individuals with clinical-level deficits in face identity recognition (prosopagnosia) often report social stress due to their inability to recognise others. Equally, the relationship could arise if social anxiety causes reduced exposure or attention to people's faces, and thus to poor development of face recognition mechanisms

Equivalência semântica da versão brasileira da Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS) Semantic equivalence of the Brazilian Portuguese Version of the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale (SADS)

INTRODUÇÃO: É crescente a produção científica brasileira na adaptação de instrumentos internacionais da fobia social. A adaptação transcultural é o primeiro passo na realização de comparações entre diferentes populações e se apresenta como um método que envolve pouco custo financeiro. O presente estudo consistiu no processo de equivalência semântica da Social Avoidance and Distress Scale para sua utilização na população brasileira de diferentes níveis socioeconômicos. MÉTODOS: O processo envolve duas traduções e retrotraduções realizadas por avaliadores independentes, avaliação das versões com elaboração de uma versão sínteses e pré-teste comentado. RESULTADOS: Para cada item do instrumento, apresentam-se os resultados das quatro etapas. A maioria dos participantes não apresentou dificuldades na compreensão do instrumento. CONCLUSÃO: A utilização de duas versões de tradução e retrotradução, discussão sobre a versão síntese e a interlocução com a população-alvo proporciona maior segurança ao processo de equivalência semântica.<br>INTRODUCTION: There has been a growing scientific production on the adaptation of international instruments for social phobia. The cross-cultural adaptation is the first stage on the comparisons between different populations and presents the advantage of a low financial cost. This paper consisted in the process of semantic equivalence of the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale for the Brazilian population of different sociocultural levels. METHODS: The semantic equivalence involved two translations and back-translations performed by two independent evaluators, an evaluation of the versions and the development of a synthetic version, and a commented pretest. RESULTS: The results of the four stages were showed for each item of the instrument. Most participants had no difficulties in understanding the instrument. CONCLUSION: Use of two versions of translations, critical appraisal of the versions, and assessment of the target population provides more safety to the process of semantic equivalence