SOCIAL PHOBIA AND PERSONALITY-DISORDER - SEVERITY OF COMPLAINT AND TREATMENT EFFECTIVENESS

Thirty-four patients meeting the DSM-III-R criteria for social phobia participated in a study on the relationship between personality disord er, symptom pattern, and treatment outcome. Eight patients (23.5%) wer e diagnosed with a personality disorder; 26 patients did not receive a n Axis II diagnosis. Half of both groups received either an integrated treatment (rational emotive therapy, social skills training, and expo sure in vivo) or exposure in vivo alone. Conclusions are that patients with a personality disorder have more serious symptoms compared to pa tients without a personality disorder, but benefit equally from the tr eatments offered.