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Personality traits in social phobia

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  16 April 2020

I. Marteinsdottir ,
T. Furmark ,
M. Tillfors ,
M. Fredrikson  and
L. Ekselius
I. Marteinsdottir*
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, SE 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
T. Furmark
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
M. Tillfors
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
M. Fredrikson
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden
L. Ekselius
Affiliation:
Department of Neuroscience, Psychiatry, Uppsala University, SE 751 85 Uppsala, Sweden
*
*Correspondence and reprints. E-mail address: Ina.Marteinsdottir@UASPsyk.uu.se (I. Marteinsdottir).
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Summary

The purpose was to assess personality traits in subjects with a DSM-IV diagnosis of social phobia. Thirty-two subjects were administered the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV for Axes I and II disorders (SCID I and II). Personality traits were assessed by means of the Karolinska Scales of Personality (KSP). Current and lifetime axis I co-morbidity was diagnosed in 28% and 53% of the subjects, respectively. In total, 59% had at least one personality disorder and 47% were diagnosed with an avoidant personality disorder.

The social phobics scored significantly higher than a Swedish normative sample on the KSP measuring anxiety proneness, irritability, detachment, and indirect aggression but lower on the scales for socialisation and social desirability. The presence as compared to absence of avoidant personality disorder in the social phobics was associated with significantly higher psychic anxiety and inhibition of aggression. In addition, symptom severity was higher in social phobics with an avoidant personality disorder. Generally, the results support the view that social phobia and avoidant personality disorder reflect different aspects of a social anxiety spectrum.

Keywords

avoidant personality disorderKSPpersonality traitssocial phobia
Type
Original article
Information
European Psychiatry , Volume 16 , Issue 3 , April 2001 , pp. 143 - 150
Copyright
Copyright © Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 2001

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