Are specific and generalized social phobias qualitatively distinct?

This article reviews studies of the generalized (GSP) and specific (SSP) subtypes of social phobia, including their onset, course, etiology, comorbid conditions, types of situations feared, reactions (i.e., cognitive, physiological, and behavioral) to feared situations, and response to treatment. Because the differences between GSP and SSP seem difficult to reconcile with a strictly quantitative perspective, we propose a qualitative distinction. The characteristics of SSP are seen as similar to those of specific phobias, but those of GSP are not. We offer a speculative interpersonal model of GSP that emphasizes beliefs about the self being unlovable, behaviors that elicit negative self-evaluations in others, and a pattern of mutual social-distancing behaviors. We discuss the implications of a qualitative distinction between GSP and SSP and offer avenues for future inquiry.