COMPARISON OF SOCIAL PHOBIA SUBTYPES USING STROOP TESTS

Patients with circumscribed speech phobia, generalized social phobia, and generalized social phobia with avoidant personality disorder were assessed with modified Stroop color-naming tests. The two generalized social phobia groups demonstrated cognitive interference on a General Social Stimuli Stroop Test (e.g., party), which was not evident in the circumscribed speech phobia group. As expected, cognitive interference was manifested across all groups in a Specific Speech Stimuli Stroop Test (e.g., speech). Interference effects were found among all groups in a Negative Social Evaluative Stroop Test (e.g., foolish) as well. No differences were noted on any test between the generalized social phobia patients with and without avoidant personality disorder. Results support the distinctiveness of the circumscribed speech phobia group. Together with the similarity of response between the generalized social phobia groups with and without avoidant personality disorder, findings are consistent with contemporary conceptualizations of subtypes of social phobia.