Specific phobia of the animal subtype has been employed as a model disorder exploring the neurocircuitry of anxiety disorders, but evidence is lacking whether the detected neural response pattern accounts for all animal subtypes, nor across other phobia subtypes. The present study aimed at directly comparing two subtypes of specific phobia: snake phobia (SP) representing the animal, and dental phobia (DP) representing the blood-injection-injury subtype. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), brain activation and skin conductance was measured during phobogenic video stimulation in 12 DP, 12 SP, and 17 healthy controls. For SP, the previously described activation of fear circuitry structures encompassing the insula, anterior cingulate cortex and thalamus could be replicated and was furthermore associated with autonomic arousal. In contrast, DP showed circumscribed activation of the prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex (PFC/OFC) when directly compared to SP, being dissociated from autonomic arousal. Results provide preliminary evidence for the idea that snake and dental phobia are characterized by distinct underlying neural systems during sustained emotional processing with evaluation processes in DP being controlled by orbitofrontal areas, whereas phobogenic reactions in SP are primarily guided by limbic and paralimbic structures. Findings support the current diagnostic classification conventions, separating distinct subtypes in DSM-IV-TR. They highlight that caution might be warranted though for generalizing findings derived from animal phobia to other phobic and anxiety disorders. If replicated, results could contribute to a better understanding of underlying neurobiological mechanisms of specific phobia and their respective classification.

Die Brief Social Phobia Scale – German version (BSPS-G) ist ein Kurzinterview zum Screening sozialer Ängste. Dabei werden Schwere oder Verlauf einer bereits diagnostizierten sozialen Angststörung erfasst. Im Folgenden wird der Hintergrund dargelegt und eine Kurzbeschreibung des englischsprachigen Originals (BSPS) gegeben: Die soziale Phobie ist gekennzeichnet durch ausgeprägte und anhaltende Angst, sich in sozialen oder Leistungssituationen peinlich zu verhalten, gedemütigt zu werden oder bestimmte Körpersymptome zu zeigen (Diagnostisches und Statistisches Manual psychischer Störungen, DSM-IV-TR [Saß et al., 2003]). Die Prävalenzraten liegen zwischen 6,7% [Fehm et al., 2005] und 12,1% [Kessler et al., 2005] und bei bis zu 25% für subklinische Ängste, die in Schwere und Beeinträchtigung häufig dem Vollbild ähnlich sind [Beesdo et al., 2007; Knappe et al., 2009]. Zur diagnostischen Erfassung der sozialen Phobie liegen zahlreiche Selbsteinschätzungsverfahren vor, aber kaum Fremdbeurteilungsverfahren [Mitte et al., 2007]. Als Interviewverfahren hat sich die Liebowitz Skala (Liebowitz Soziale Angst Skala, LSAS) [Stangier und Heidenreich, 2005] etabliert. Die BSPS hat demgegenüber die Vorteile, dass sie viel ökonomischer ist und explizit typische Körpersymptome erfasst, die soziale Ängste sowohl begleiten als auch auslösen können. Die Validierung der englischsprachigen Originalversion der BSPS zeigte sehr gute Kennwerte für die Test-Retest-Reliabilität (rtt = 0,91) und die interne Konsistenz (Cronbachs α = 0,82) sowie gute konvergente und diskriminante Validität und Änderungssensitivität. Als Cut-Off-Wert wurde ein Summenwert von 20 Punkten bestimmt [Davidson et al., 1997]. / Dieser Beitrag ist mit Zustimmung des Rechteinhabers aufgrund einer (DFG-geförderten) Allianz- bzw. Nationallizenz frei zugänglich.

Specific phobia of the animal subtype has been employed as a model disorder exploring the neurocircuitry of anxiety disorders, but evidence is lacking whether the detected neural response pattern accounts for all animal subtypes, nor across other phobia subtypes. The present study aimed at directly comparing two subtypes of specific phobia: snake phobia (SP) representing the animal, and dental phobia (DP) representing the blood-injection-injury subtype. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), brain activation and skin conductance was measured during phobogenic video stimulation in 12 DP, 12 SP, and 17 healthy controls. For SP, the previously described activation of fear circuitry structures encompassing the insula, anterior cingulate cortex and thalamus could be replicated and was furthermore associated with autonomic arousal. In contrast, DP showed circumscribed activation of the prefrontal and orbitofrontal cortex (PFC/OFC) when directly compared to SP, being dissociated from autonomic arousal. Results provide preliminary evidence for the idea that snake and dental phobia are characterized by distinct underlying neural systems during sustained emotional processing with evaluation processes in DP being controlled by orbitofrontal areas, whereas phobogenic reactions in SP are primarily guided by limbic and paralimbic structures. Findings support the current diagnostic classification conventions, separating distinct subtypes in DSM-IV-TR. They highlight that caution might be warranted though for generalizing findings derived from animal phobia to other phobic and anxiety disorders. If replicated, results could contribute to a better understanding of underlying neurobiological mechanisms of specific phobia and their respective classification.

The aim of this study was to explore temperament, psychopathology and quality of life (QOL) in adolescents born at extremely low birth weight (ELBW), i.e., < 1000g. ELBW adolescents (N = 15) completed the Revised Cheek and Buss Scale and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0.0 (M.I.N.I.), while their legal guardians completed a biographical questionnaire and the Short Form 12 version 2. The median age of the sample was 13 SD = 2.526 years (60% male) and all participants spoke English. ELBW adolescents with social phobia (n = 6) were more shy (p = .041) and had poorer mental health-related QOL (p = .041) than those without such symptoms. The results suggest that ELBW could be a predisposing factor for increased shyness and psychological disorders including social phobia. Planning of interventions for ELBW individuals should therefore include strategies to prevent or mitigate the effects of these factors in adolescence / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

La « phobie interpersonnelle » (taijinkyōfu ou taijin kyōfushō) est définie par la psychiatrie japonaise comme une angoisse qui se manifeste en présence d’autres personnes et peut prendre des formes variées telles que la conviction de rougir excessivement, d’avoir un regard anormal, un aspect physique inesthétique, d’émettre une odeur nauséabonde, etc. ; elle provoque une inquiétude quant au fait de susciter le mépris, le rejet ou d’être source de désagrément, et conduit à l’évitement des relations interpersonnelles. Cette entité nosographique, formulée au Japon dans les années 1930, y a depuis lors fait l’objet d’une riche pratique clinique et d’abondantes recherches. L’idée que cette pathologie mentale y serait particulièrement fréquente et reflèterait des caractères spécifiques de la société et de la culture japonaises a longtemps été entretenue par les psychiatres japonais, et c’est ce motif qui a attiré l'attention des psychiatres, mais également des anthropologues étrangers sur ce concept. Dans les années 1990, la phobie interpersonnelle apparaît comme un «syndrome lié à la culture» dans les taxinomies psychiatriques internationales, en même temps que l’idée de la spécificité culturelle du taijinkyōfu s’affaiblit progressivement au Japon. C’est l’histoire particulière de ce concept que ce travail vise à retracer. Au croisement de l’histoire de la psychiatrie et de l’histoire des idées, nous cherchons à comprendre les facteurs théoriques, cliniques et idéologiques qui ont contribué à l’émergence et à la prospérité du concept de phobie interpersonnelle dans la psychiatrie japonaise. En repartant des origines euro-américaines au XIXe siècle du concept d’éreuthophobie, archétype de ce qui deviendra la phobie interpersonnelle, nous décrivons l’émergence du concept de taijinkyōfu, formulé par le psychiatre Morita Shōma (ou Masatake) dans les années 1930, puis analysons ses développements théoriques dans les années 1960-1970. / “Interpersonal phobia” (taijinkyōfu ou taijin kyōfushō) is defined in Japanese psychiatry as a form of anxiety that manifests itself in the presence of other people and can take various forms, such as the belief that one blushes excessively, or has an abnormal gaze, or an unsightly physical appearance, or that one's body produces a foul odor, etc.; it causes concern about being contempted, rejected or being an annoyance to others, and leads to avoidance of interpersonal relationships. This nosological entity, formulated in Japan in the 1930s, has since been the subject of a rich clinical practice and abundant research. The idea that this mental condition is particularly frequent and reflects specific characteristics of Japanese society and culture has long been maintained by Japanese psychiatrists, and this very reason has attracted the attention of foreign psychiatrists and anthropologists on this concept. In the 1990s, interpersonal phobia emerged as a “culture-bound syndrome” in international psychiatric nosologies, and at the same time the idea of taijinkyōfu's cultural specificity was gradually weakening in Japan. This work aims to trace out the particular history of this concept. At the intersection of the history of psychiatry and the history of ideas, we seek to understand the theoretical, clinical and ideological factors that have contributed to the emergence and prosperity of the concept of interpersonal phobia in Japanese psychiatry. Starting from the nineteenth-century Euro-American origins of the concept of ereuthophobia, the archetype of what will become interpersonal phobia, we describe the emergence of the concept of taijinkyōfu, formulated by the psychiatrist Morita Shōma (or Masatake) in the 1930s, and then analyze its theoretical developments in the 1960s and 1970s.

Thesis (M.S.W.)--University of Hong Kong, 1984.

The aim of this study was to explore temperament, psychopathology and quality of life (QOL) in adolescents born at extremely low birth weight (ELBW), i.e., < 1000g. ELBW adolescents (N = 15) completed the Revised Cheek and Buss Scale and Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview 5.0.0 (M.I.N.I.), while their legal guardians completed a biographical questionnaire and the Short Form 12 version 2. The median age of the sample was 13 SD = 2.526 years (60% male) and all participants spoke English. ELBW adolescents with social phobia (n = 6) were more shy (p = .041) and had poorer mental health-related QOL (p = .041) than those without such symptoms. The results suggest that ELBW could be a predisposing factor for increased shyness and psychological disorders including social phobia. Planning of interventions for ELBW individuals should therefore include strategies to prevent or mitigate the effects of these factors in adolescence / Psychology / M. A. (Clinical Psychology)

The diploma thesis deals with an emotional state called fear and it's pathological form - phobia. The thesis is focused on frequency and form of fears of pupils in older school age and on influence of these fears on teaching of Natural Sciences. The analysis of educational field of Natural Sciences, the interview and the questionnaire investigation of pupils were used in the diploma thesis. On the basis of research results I suggested basic recommendations for teachers who meet pupils with fear or specific phobia during classes. The diploma thesis uses methods of qualitative and quantitative research.

Social Work / M.Diac. (Play Therapy)

Background: Social anxiety disorder (SAnD) is a highly prevalent condition, characterised by an intense fear of social or performance situations where individuals worry about being negatively evaluated by others. An up to date systematic review of the effectiveness of cognitive behavioural therapies for SAnD is required to guide practice. Objectives: To assess the efficacy and acceptability of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) compared with treatment as usual/waiting list (TAU/WL) for individuals with SAnD. Search methods: We searched the Cochrane Depression, Anxiety and Neurosis Group (CCDAN) Controlled Trials Register and conducted supplementary searches of MEDLINE, PsycInfo, EMBASE, and international trial registers (ICTRP; ClinicalTrials.gov) in October 2011 and CINAHL in October 2012. We also searched reference lists of retrieved articles, and contacted trial authors for information on ongoing/completed trials. Selection criteria: Randomised and quasi-randomised controlled trials undertaken in out-patient settings, involving adults aged 18-75 years with a primary diagnosis of SAnD, assigned either to CBT or TAU/WL. Data collection and analysis Data on patients, interventions and outcomes were extracted by two review authors independently, and the Risk of bias in each study was assessed. The primary outcomes were social anxiety reduction (based on relative risk (RR) of clinical response and mean difference in symptom reduction), and treatment acceptability (based on RR of attrition). Results: Thirteen studies (715 participants) were included in the review, of which 11 studies (599 participants) contributed data to meta-analyses. Based on four studies, CBT was more effective than TAU/WL in achieving clinical response at post-treatment (RR 3.60, 95% CI 1.35 to 9.57), and on eleven studies (599 participants) it was more effective than TAU/WL in reducing symptoms of social anxiety. No significant difference was found between CBT and TAU/WL for attrition. No significant difference was demonstrated for social anxiety at follow-up and no studies examined follow-up data for clinical response or attrition. Authors' conclusions: The available evidence suggests that cognitive behavioural therapy might be effective in reducing anxiety symptoms for the short-term treatment of SAnD. However, the body of evidence comparing CBT with TAU/WL is small and heterogeneous.