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Characteristics and predictors of social phobia course in a longitudinal study of primary‐care patients
Author(s) -
Beard Courtney,
Moitra Ethan,
Weisberg Risa B.,
Keller Martin B.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/da.20676
Subject(s) - primary care , psychology , course (navigation) , clinical psychology , longitudinal study , specific phobia , psychiatry , medicine , anxiety , panic disorder , family medicine , physics , astronomy , pathology
Background : Social Phobia (SP) is a prevalent disorder in primary‐care settings. To date, few researchers have examined the natural course of SP in primary care. We examined the natural course and predictors of recovery in a large sample of primary‐care patients. Methods : Data are obtained from the Primary Care Anxiety Project, a naturalistic, longitudinal study of anxiety disorders in primary‐care patients. This report pertains to 182 patients with SP at intake. We examined intake demographic and clinical variables as predictors of recovery within the 5 years of follow‐up. Results : The probability of recovery from SP during the 5‐year follow‐up period was .40. At intake, a longer duration of SP episode, comorbid Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia, and lower psychosocial functioning predicted lower rates of recovery. Conclusions : These findings highlight the chronicity of SP, as well as factors that may affect its naturalistic course. It is imperative that primary‐care physicians and mental health specialists assess for and treat SP in their practices. Future research is warranted to further examine the effect of medical and psychiatric comorbidity on SP course. Depression and Anxiety, 2010. © 2010 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.