Over-representation of Myers Briggs type indicator introversion in social phobia patients

The purpose of this study is to profile the personalities of patients with social phobia. Sixteen patients with social phobia were compared with a nor mative population of 55,971, and with 24 hospitalized Major Depressive rte Disorder inpatients, using the Myers Briggs Type Indicator The Myers Briggs Type Indicator a popular personality survey, divides individuals into eigh t categories: Extroverts versus Introverts, Sensors versus Intuitives, Thin kers versus Feelers, and Judgers versus Perceivers. Social phobia patients were significantly more often Introverts (93.7%) than were subjects in the normative population (46.2%). In addition, using continuous scores, the soc ial phobia patients scored as significantly more introverted than did the p atients with Major Depressive Disorder who also scored as Introverted. Intr oversion is a major component of social phobia, and this observation may ha ve both etiological and therapeutic significance. (C) 2000 Wiley-Liss, Inc.