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Specific phobias

Evidence last reviewed: 5 Jun 2026
Topic last updated: 27 Mar 2026

Summary

Definition

History and exam

Key diagnostic factors

  • anticipatory anxiety
  • behavioral avoidance
Full details

Other diagnostic factors

  • onset during childhood
  • onset during early adulthood
  • nausea
  • dizziness
  • disgust
  • fainting
  • tachycardia
  • hyperventilation
  • exaggerated startle
  • sleep disruption
Full details

Risk factors

  • somatization disorder
  • anxiety disorders
  • mood disorders
  • first-degree relative with phobia
  • twin with phobia
  • aversive experiences
  • stress and negative life events
  • female sex
  • white ethnicity
  • parental anxiety and overprotectiveness
  • negative affectivity and behavioral inhibition
  • cognitive/attentional bias
Full details

Диагностические исследования

Исследования, которые показаны в первую очередь

  • self-report
  • behavioral observation and approach tests
Полная информация

Исследования, проведение которых нужно рассмотреть

  • structured/semi-structured clinical interview
Полная информация

Алгоритм лечения

ПРОДОЛЖЕНИЕ

adults with subclinical symptoms and infrequent interference with usual activities

adults with frequent symptoms interfering with usual activities

children with ongoing symptoms interfering with usual activities

Составители

Авторы

Amy Huberman, MD

Volunteer Faculty

Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine

Baltimore

MD

Раскрытие информации

AH declares that she has no competing interests.

Выражение благодарностей

Dr Amy Huberman would like to gratefully acknowledge Dr Eve Friedl, Dr E. Blake Zakarin, Dr Craig N. Sawchuk, and Dr Bunmi O. Olatunji, previous contributors to this topic.

Раскрытие информации

EKF and EBZ declare that they have no competing interests. CNS is an author of a reference cited in this topic. BOO is an author of a reference cited in this topic.

Рецензенты

Franklin Schneier, MD

Director

Anxiety Disorders Clinic

New York State Psychiatric Institute

New York City

NY

Раскрытие информации

FS has received research support from Compass Pathways, Otsuka, Vistagen, and NIMH, royalties from UptoDate, Cambridge University Press, and Guilford Press, and served as consultant to Receptor Life and PureTech.

Peer reviewer acknowledgements

BMJ Best Practice topics are updated on a rolling basis in line with developments in evidence and guidance. The peer reviewers listed here have reviewed the content at least once during the history of the topic.

Disclosures

Peer reviewer affiliations and disclosures pertain to the time of the review.

Список литературы

Our in-house evidence and editorial teams collaborate with international expert contributors and peer reviewers to ensure that we provide access to the most clinically relevant information possible.

Основные статьи

American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders, 5th ed., text revision (DSM-5-TR). Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022.

Stinson FS, Dawson DA, Chou SP, et al. The epidemiology of DSM-IV specific phobia in the USA: results from the National Epidemiologic Survey on Alcohol and Related Conditions. Psychol Med. 2007 Jul;37(7):1047-59. Аннотация

Grös DF, Antony MM. The assessment and treatment of specific phobias: a review. Curr Psychiatry Rep. 2006 Aug;8(4):298-303. Аннотация

Wolitzky-Taylor KB, Horowitz JD, Powers MB, et al. Psychological approaches in the treatment of specific phobias: a meta-analysis. Clin Psychol Rev. 2008 Jul;28(6):1021-37. Аннотация

Katzman MA, Bleau P, Blier P, et al; Anxiety Disorders Association of Canada; McGill University. Canadian clinical practice guidelines for the management of anxiety, posttraumatic stress and obsessive-compulsive disorders. BMC Psychiatry. 2014;14 Suppl 1:S1.Полный текст  Аннотация

Статьи, указанные как источники

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