SOCIAL PHOBIA SUBTYPE AND AVOIDANT PERSONALITY-DISORDER - EFFECT ON SEVERITY OF SOCIAL PHOBIA, IMPAIRMENT, AND OUTCOME OF COGNITIVE-BEHAVIORAL TREATMENT

The relationship between subtypes of social phobia and avoidant personality disorder (APD) and their effects on severity of impairment and outcome of cognitive behavioral treatment were examined. Before treatment, most assessment measures differentiated only between generalized and nongeneralized subtypes of social phobia. Individuals with generalized social phobia were younger when they developed social phobia and achieved higher scores on measures of depression, social anxiety and avoidance, and fear of negative evaluation. During treatment, subjects with generalized social phobia and nongeneralized social phobia improved similarly, but subjects with generalized social phobia remained more impaired after treatment. APD was not predictive of treatment outcome, but several subjects who received a diagnosis of APD before treatment no longer met criteria for APD after treatment.