Personality traits in social phobia

The purpose was to assess personality traits in subjects with a DSM-IV diag nosis of social phobia. Thirty-two subjects were administered the Structure d Clinical Interview for DSM-IV for Axes I and II disorders (SCID Ii and II ). Personality traits were assessed by means of the Karolinska Scales of Pe rsonality (KSP). Current and lifetime axis I co-morbidity was diagnosed in 28% and 53% of the subjects, respectively. In total, 59% had at least one p ersonality disorder and 47% were diagnosed with an avoidant personality dis order. The social phobics scored significantly higher than a Swedish normative sam ple on the KSP measuring anxiety proneness, irritability. detachment, and i ndirect aggression but lower on the scales for socialisation and social des irability. The presence as compared to absence of avoidant personality diso rder in the social phobics was associated with significantly higher psychic anxiety and inhibition of aggression. In addition. symptom severity was hi gher in social phobics with an avoidant personality disorder. Generally, th e results support the view that social phobia and avoidant personality diso rder reflect different aspects of a social anxiety spectrum. (C) 2001 Editi ons scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.