Association Between Childhood Trauma and Social Phobia Among University Students in Accra, Ghana

Abstract Childhood trauma (CT) is linked to social phobia, which contributes to academic underachievement and other disorders. Evidence on the association between childhood trauma and social phobia is limited in Ghana. This study examines the prevalence of childhood trauma and social phobia, as well as the associations between specific childhood trauma subtypes and social phobia among university students in Accra. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 803 students from four universities in Accra, using the Social Phobia Scale (SPS) and the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). We analyzed data using descriptive statistics and multivariate logistic regression to identify associations and predictive relationships. Most of the participants (85.2%) reported exposure to at least one type of CT. Emotional neglect (65.6%) and physical neglect (63.9%) were the most prevalent trauma subtypes at the severe-to-extreme level. Most participants (62.5%) reported experiencing social phobia. After adjustment, emotional abuse (AOR=1.812; 95% CI: 1.246-2.637, p=.002) and physical abuse (AOR=1.631; 95% CI: 1.101-2.415, p=.015) were associated with higher odds of social phobia. Emotional neglect (AOR=0.650; 95% CI: 0.436-0.968, p=.034) and physical neglect (AOR=0.663; 95% CI: 0.450-0.977, p=.038) showed inverse associations with social phobia. CT is common among Ghanaian university students and is associated with social phobia. This highlights the need for trauma-informed mental health services in universities and improved child protection policies, along with further research on the link between childhood trauma and social phobia.