Risk factors of social phobia development: Implications to early detection and intervention of social phobia

Abstract

Early detection and intervention of high-risk groups for a potentially disabling psychopathology have been recognized as one of the ideal intervention strategies in the fields of clinical and other clinically oriented psychology. The issues of early detection and intervention appear to be especially important in social phobia, considering the high prevalence, early onset, chronic course, and disabling nature of social phobia. Given the importance of early detection and intervention in social phobia, the current paper shed light on factors that could increase risk for social phobia development. Characteristically, the paper attempted to identify developmentally appropriate risk factors for better detection of at-risk groups. Familial-genetic, temperamental, cognitive, interpersonal (including parenting and aversive peer relationships), and other factors were specifically discussed in the paper as factors that increase risks for developing social phobia. Toward the end, clinical implications of these risk factors to early detection and intervention of social phobia were discussed.