Fobia social e interações virtuais: um estudo com universitários dos cursos de ciência da computação e sistemas de informação

Abstract

The social anxiety disorder (SAD), also known as social anxiety or social phobia, is characterized by excessive fear of social or performance situations, in which people can be scrutinized, judged, embarrassed or humiliated by others. This study aims to investigate possible correlations between social anxiety, the internet use pattern for virtual and presential interactions and social skills in college students. The study included the population of students of Computer Science and Information Systems of the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF), belonging to the day and night shifts, between the ages of 18 and 30 years. Three instruments were used, including: a) Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale; b) Instrument About Virtual and Presential Interactions; and c) Inventory of (IHS - Del - Prette). Facing this conjecture, the sample participants were selected through a stratified random sampling. The instruments used provided the data that were tabulated and analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS), in order to identify and characterize the sample. For the questions numbered between 12 and 20 of the instrument "b", the content analysis proposed by Bardin was assumed as a means of data treatment. After proper analysis it is estimated that the studied population showed a high prevalence for social anxiety symptomatology, approximately 25%. The correlations and associations between social anxiety and social skills pointed to a manifestation of low levels of social anxiety, when the repertoire of social skills is well elaborated and vice versa. The qualitative and quantitative analysis showed similarities in their results, because they suggest that the virtual environment is a comfortable and safe environment for students who scored high on the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale.