Diagnostic Criteria for Social Phobia:
A. A marked and persistent fear of one or more social or
performance situations in which the person is exposed to unfamiliar
people or to possible scrutiny by others. The individual fears that
he or she will act in a way (or show anxiety symptoms) that will be
humiliating or embarrassing. NOTE: In children, there must be
evidence of the capacity for age-appropriate social relationships
with familiar people and the anxiety must occur in peer settings,
not just in interactions with adults.
B. Exposure to the feared social situation almost invariably
provokes anxiety, which may take the form of a situationally bound
or situationally predisposed panic attack. NOTE: In children, the
anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing or shrinking
from social situations with unfamiliar people.
C. The person recognized that the fear is excessive or
unreasonable. NOTE: In children, this feature may be absent.
D. The feared social or performance situations are avoided or else
are endured with intense anxiety or distress.
E. The avoidance,, anxious anticipation, or distress in the feared
social or performance situations(s) interferes significantly with
the person's normal routine, occupational (academic) functioning or
social activities or relationships, or there is marked distress
about having the phobia.
F. In individuals under 18 years of age, the duration is at least
six months.
G. The fear or avoidance is not due to the direct physiologic
effects of a substance (e.g., a drug abuse, a medication) or a
general medical condition and is not better accounted for by
another mental disorder (e.g., panic disorder with or without
agoraphobia, separation anxiety disorder body dysmorphic disorder a
pervasive developmental disorder or schizoid personality
disorder).
H. If a general medical condition or another mental disorder is
present, the fear in Criterion A is unrelated to it; (e.g., the
fear is not of stuttering, trembling in Parkinson's disease or
exhibiting abnormal eating behavior in anorexia nervosa or bulimia
nervosa.)
