Social Phobia

The third most common mental disorder, social phobia can lead to extreme functional impairment associated with increased alcohol and substance abuse, depression, suicidal ideation, and an inability to obtain employment or achieve financial independence. Only in recent years, however, has social phobia been recognized as part of the diagnostic nomenclature; as a result, research has lagged behind that on other anxiety disorders. Filling a significant gap in the literature, this essential new resource provides state-of-the-art, comprehensive reviews and analyses of almost all aspects of social phobia. Integrating the best available knowledge in biological psychiatry and cognitive-behavioral psychology, this encyclopedic volume covers diagnosis, psychopathology, theoretical and empirical approaches, assessment, and treatment.