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An investigation into the psychobiology of social phobia: personality domains and serotonergic function
Author(s) -
Chatterjee S.,
Sunitha T. A.,
Velayudhan A.,
Khanna S.
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1600-0447.1997.tb10144.x
Subject(s) - psychology , harm avoidance , temperament and character inventory , novelty seeking , avoidant personality disorder , personality , clinical psychology , population , distress , temperament , psychiatry , personality disorders , medicine , social psychology , environmental health
The aim of the present study was to explore a psychobiological perspective in the aetiology of social phobia. The emphasis was on serotonergic function and personality. A total of 20 social phobics according to ICD‐10 DCR criteria were assessed with the Schedule for Clinical Assessment in Neuropsychiatry and the International Personality Disorder Examination. They were compared with an age‐matched normal population with regard to scores on the Fear of Negative Evaluation Scale, the Social Avoidance and Distress Scale, the Temperament and Character Inventory, and platelet 5HT 2 receptor function. Other Axis‐I disorders and cluster C personality disorders were frequently encountered. The social phobia group was characterized by high levels of harm avoidance, and low levels of novelty seeking, co‐operativeness and self‐directedness. Platelet 5HT 2 receptor density did not differentiate between the groups, but was associated with severity of social phobia. An integrated psychobiological model is presented.