Summary
Definition
History and exam
Key diagnostic factors
- hx of psychiatric comorbidity
- positive family hx of social anxiety
- anticipatory anxiety and worry
- tachycardia
- hyperventilation
- sweating
- flushing
- muscle tension
Other diagnostic factors
- post-event processing
- attentional biases
- social skills deficits
- crying, tantrums, or "freezing"
Risk factors
- psychiatric comorbidity (e.g., anxiety, mood, and substance-abuse disorders)
- genetic
- temperamental factors
- parenting style
- psychological disorder
- life stressors
- environmental factors
Diagnostic investigations
Investigations to consider
- blood glucose
- serum thyroid-stimulating hormone
- toxicology screen (urine and blood)
Treatment algorithm
Contributors
Authors
Associate Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Psychology
Mayo Clinic
Rochester
MN
Disclosures
CNS declares that he has no competing interests.
Assistant Professor
Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences
University of Washington School of Medicine
Seattle
WA
Disclosures
JPV declares that he has no competing interests.
Associate Professor
Department of Psychological Sciences
Vanderbilt University
Nashville
TN
Disclosures
BOO declares that he has no competing interests.
Director
Anxiety and Stress Reduction Center of Seattle
University of Washington
Seattle
WA
Disclosures
SSW declares that she has no competing interests.
Peer reviewers
Emeritus Professor
Medical Director
Anxiety Treatment and Research Centre
McMaster University and St Joseph’s Hospital
Hamilton
Canada
Disclosures
RPS declares that he has no competing interests.
Professor
Department of Psychology
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville
AR
Disclosures
JML declares that he has no competing interests.
Associate Professor
Institute of Living
Yale University
New Haven
CT
Disclosures
DFT declares that he has no competing interests.
Professor of Psychiatry
University of Southampton
Southampton
UK
Disclosures
DB has acted as a consultant for and held research grants from Cephalon, Eli Lilly, GSK, Lundbeck, Organon, Pfizer, Pharmacia, Roche, and Wyeth and has also acted as a consultant to Asahi, AstraZeneca, Grunenthal, Pierre Fabre, Servier, Sumitomo, and Wyeth. He has accepted paid speaking engagements in industry-supported satellite symposia and is co-author of the BAP evidence-based guidelines on the treatment of anxiety disorders. He is also a Medical Patron of Anxiety UK.
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