--- - |2+ Background This study aimed to examine whether different components of interpretation bias are clinical or dimensional features of adolescent social anxiety. The study analyzed the components of this bias at a subclinical level of Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) and compared these with a clinical sample of adolescents with SAD. Method Adolescents in the age range 13–17 years participated. A group with SAD (n = 30) was compared with a group with subclinical SAD (n = 60), and a non‐socially anxious group (n = 95). Results Negative interpretation bias for social situations was found to be a dimensional aspect of social anxiety. In contrast, belief in negative interpretations of social situations appears to be a clinical feature. Contrary to expectations, endorsement of positive interpretations did not differ between the three groups. Conclusions The results suggest that a screening instrument based on negative interpretations of social situations could be useful to detect adolescents at‐risk of developing SAD. In a clinical setting, the belief in negative interpretations and the presence of the bias in nonsocial situations should also be considered. - Child and Adolescent Mental Health, Volume 23, Issue 3, Page 169-176, September 2018.