Patients with circumscribed speech phobia, generalized social phobia,
and generalized social phobia with avoidant personality disorder were
assessed with modified Stroop color-naming tests. The two generalized
social phobia groups demonstrated cognitive interference on a General
Social Stimuli Stroop Test (e.g., party), which was not evident in the
circumscribed speech phobia group. As expected, cognitive interferenc
e was manifested across all groups in a Specific Speech Stimuli Stroop
Test (e.g., speech). Interference effects were found among all groups
in a Negative Social Evaluative Stroop Test (e.g., foolish) as well.
No differences were noted on any test between the generalized social p
hobia patients with and without avoidant personality disorder. Results
support the distinctiveness of the circumscribed speech phobia group.
Together with the similarity of response between the generalized soci
al phobia groups with and without avoidant personality disorder, findi
ngs are consistent with contemporary conceptualizations of subtypes of
social phobia.