Social anxiety among young adults in Switzerland: a cross-sectional study on associations with sports and social support

Background This cross-sectional study examined the relationship of sports and perceived social support with social anxiety in young adults. We aimed to find out whether participation in sports and good social support were associated with lower social anxiety symptoms in individuals aged 18–40 years in Switzerland. Methods Participants aged 18–40 years were recruited through an online panel, which included company data pools, mail/email invitations, and social media. The survey included validated instruments: the Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory (SPAI) for social anxiety, the Physical Activity and Sports Questionnaire (BSA-F) for sports participation, and the German Questionnaire for Social Support (F-SozU). Sociodemographic data and sports duration were also collected, with sports classified by type and duration. We fitted linear regression models to explore associations between social anxiety, sports type, duration, and perceived social support. Analyses were adjusted for sociodemographic characteristics. Results A total of 104 participants (51% female; mean age = 30.2 years, SD = 6.2) completed the survey, with 65.4% reporting recent sports participation, averaging 4.5 h/week. Social anxiety scores did not differ significantly across no sport, individual sport, or group sport participants. However, longer sports duration was associated with lower social anxiety scores, even after adjusting for perceived social support and sociodemographic factors. Social support was independently and negatively associated with social anxiety, highlighting its protective role regardless of sport type or duration. Conclusion Our findings suggest that sports involvement and supportive social networks are associated with lower social anxiety. Sports and social support should be considered to treat social anxiety, along with primary treatments such as psychotherapy and pharmacotherapy.