Social Phobia in Saudi Patients: A Preliminary Assessment of Prevalence and Demographic Characteristics

Abstract

A preliminary attempt was made to assess the prevalence of social phobia among patients attending a psychiatric outpatient clinic in Riyadh over a period of one year. The demographic characteristics of the patients presenting with the disorder were also examined. The results confirm our earlier impressions that this disorder is very frequent among our patients. Cases diagnosed as social phobia comprised 79.8% of phobic disorders, 20.3% of neurotic disorders, and 9.2% of all psychiatric disorders seen over a period of one year. The mean age of patients was 28.3 years and most (97.2%) were males. A higher percentage of patients (56.3%) were married. Data regarding educational level and occupation indicate good or above average levels of achievement and status. Explanations for findings are discussed, particularly in relation to the possible role of sociocultural factors. Characteristics. 1990; 10(6): 615-619 Though anxiety related to social and interpersonal situations is involved in several forms of psychiatric disturbance, it has also been recognized to constitute the main or only disorder, with characteristics typical of phobia, and to an extent justifying its categorization as such [1]. Probably the clearest present delineation of this category is that provided by the DSM III [2] in which social phobia is identified as persistent irrational fear of, and compelling desire to avoid, situations in which the individual may be exposed to scrutiny by others, the fear or anxiety being largely centered around acting in a way that may be embarrassing, humiliating, or shameful. It is a phobia related to performance or function [3]. MA Al-Khani, MM Arafa, Social Phobia in Saudi Patients: A Preliminary Assessment of Prevalence and DemographicReports of the prevalence of phobic disorders indicate that they affect less than 1% of a given population and constitute about 5% of all neurotic disorders seen in outpatient clinics [3]. According to Marks [4], phobic disorders are found in 2 to 3% of all neurotic patients in North America and England. It is believed that simple phobia is the most common in the general population but it is not clinically documented, as individuals rarely seek treatment [2]. Clinically, however, Western studies indicate that agoraphobia is the most common and constitutes more than 50% of all phobic disorders in patients seeking treatment [4,5]. Less information is available about social phobia, but according to the DSM III [2], it is "apparently relatively rare."Reports concerning the demographic characteristics of phobic patients indicate that social phobia is characteristically associated with adolescence, while agoraphobia usually starts in the late teens or early twenties. Conversely, simple phobias mostly start during childhood. Agoraphobia and simple phobia are more frequently diagnosed in women, while the sex ratio of social phobia is not known [2,3]. In some late studies, however, social phobia was found to be more frequent in males. Compared to agoraphobics, patients with social phobia pr...

Dental phobia among Saudis

“…T h e 70% of specific phobias among our dental phobics seems very high. Perhaps specific phobias are more common in general in Saudi Arabia than elsewhere (Al-Khodair, 1992;Al-Khani and Arafa, 1990).…”