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The prognosis and incidence of social phobia in an elderly population. A 5‐year follow‐up
Author(s) -
Karlsson B.,
Sigström R.,
Waern M.,
Östling S.,
Gustafson D.,
Skoog I.
Publication year - 2010
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.1600-0447.2010.01559.x
Subject(s) - incidence (geometry) , psychopathology , psychology , psychiatry , population , phobic disorder , specific phobia , anxiety disorder , rating scale , clinical psychology , medicine , anxiety , developmental psychology , physics , environmental health , optics
Karlsson B, Sigström R, Waern M, Östling S, Gustafson D, Skoog I. The prognosis and incidence of social phobia in an elderly population. A 5‐year follow‐up. Objective: To examine the prognosis and incidence of social fears and phobia in an elderly population sample followed for 5 years. Method: A general population sample ( N = 612) of non‐demented men (baseline age 70) and women (baseline age 70 and 78–86) was investigated in 2000–2001 and in 2005–2006 with semi‐structured psychiatric examinations including the Comprehensive Psychopathological Rating Scale, and the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview. Social phobia was diagnosed according to the DSM‐IV criteria. Results: Among nine individuals with DSM‐IV social phobia in 2000, 5 (55.6%) had no social fears in 2005, and 1 (11.1%) still met the criteria for DSM‐IV social phobia. Among individuals without DSM‐IV social phobia in 2000 ( N = 603), 12 (2.0%) had DSM‐IV social phobia in 2005. Conclusion: These findings challenge the notion that social phobia is a chronic disorder with rare occurrence in old age.