DELINEATING THE BOUNDARIES OF SOCIAL PHOBIA - ITS RELATIONSHIP TO PANIC DISORDER AND AGORAPHOBIA

The present article was prompted by the differential diagnostic ambiguities surrounding the social phobic syndrome. The following questions were addressed: (a) Is social phobia a distinct clinical syndrome, differing from panic disorder and agoraphobia on a number of variables? (b) What is the relationship between social phobia, panic disorder, and agoraphobia regarding co-occurrence of syndromes? (c) What are the principal differential diagnostic features which define the boundaries of the syndrome? A literature review suggested that social phobia is a distinct entity which differs from panic/agoraphobia regarding prevalence, sex ratio, age of onset, familial psychiatric history, response to provocative tests, and pharmacotherapy. Several studies have shown substantial comorbidity between the syndromes. Critical features for formulating a differential diagnosis include distinguishing type and pattern of panic attacks and determining what the patient fears. Symptoms must be evaluated within the context of the individual's disturbance, which requires an informed, precise, and thorough assessment. © 1990.