Online Communication and Social Anxiety: A Systematic Review

Background and Aims: The present literature review addresses the following questions: (a) Do individuals with social anxiety use the Internet and, in particular, online communication more intensively than individuals without social anxiety? (b) Is online communication beneficial in decreasing social anxiety by supporting social contacts or is it a maintaining factor for social anxiety by decreasing the subjective importance of offline contacts? (c) Does the option of online communication aid or impede psychotherapy of social anxiety disorder? Method: We reviewed the relevant peer-reviewed publications listed in Web of Science, PubMed, or PsycINFO until July 2015. Results: The 43 studies included in this review do not support an association between social anxiety and online communication. Moreover, prior studies show that individuals with social anxiety do not initiate more social contacts online than do individuals without social anxiety. By contrast, studies consistently show that socially anxious individuals disproportionally prefer online versus offline communication and use online communication for self-regulation. Conclusion: The present review emphasizes the benefits and disadvantages of Internet use and particularly online communication for individuals with social anxiety. Social Internet use is integral in everyday Life and its dynamics should be an essential part of the therapeutic considerations for and psychoeducation of patients with social anxiety.