10 Questions
What is the typical duration of the fear, anxiety, or avoidance in specific phobia?
At least 6 months
How is the fear or anxiety expressed in children with specific phobia?
Crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging
What distinguishes specific phobia from other mental disorders?
The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the specific object or situation and to the sociocultural context
What is a key characteristic of specific phobia related to the phobic object or situation?
It almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety
What impact does specific phobia have on functioning?
Causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning
What are the diagnostic criteria for specific phobia?
A. Marked fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation, B. The phobic object or situation almost always provokes immediate fear or anxiety, C. The phobic object or situation is actively avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety, D. The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the specific object or situation and to the sociocultural context, E. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance is persistent, typically lasting for 6 months or more, F. The fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning, G. The disturbance is not better explained by the symptoms of another mental disorder.
How is fear or anxiety expressed in children with specific phobia?
In children, the fear or anxiety may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging.
What is the typical duration of the fear, anxiety, or avoidance in specific phobia?
Typically lasting for 6 months or more.
What are the key characteristics of specific phobia related to the phobic object or situation?
The fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger posed by the specific object or situation and to the sociocultural context.
What causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning in specific phobia?
The fear, anxiety, or avoidance.
Study Notes
- Specific Phobia is a mental disorder characterized by marked fear or anxiety about a specific object or situation.
- Examples of phobic objects or situations include: flying, heights, animals, receiving injections, and seeing blood.
- In children, fear or anxiety may be expressed through crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging.
- Phobic objects or situations provoke immediate fear or anxiety, and are actively avoided or endured with intense fear or anxiety.
- Fear or anxiety is out of proportion to the actual danger posed and to the sociocultural context, and persists for 6 months or more.
- Fear, anxiety, or avoidance causes clinically significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.
- The disturbance is not better explained by another mental disorder.
- Specify the code based on the phobic stimulus: F40.218 for animal phobias (e.g. spiders, insects, dogs) and F40.228 for natural environment phobias.
Test your knowledge of the diagnostic criteria for specific phobias. Learn about the key indicators of specific phobias as outlined in the DSM-5, including marked fear or anxiety, immediate provocation of fear, active avoidance, and disproportionate fear or anxiety.
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