Social phobia is an anxiety disorder characterized by heightened fear and avoidance of one or more social or
performance situations, including public speaking, meeting new people, eating or writing in front of others, and
attending social gatherings. People with social phobia are typically anxious about the possibility that others will
evaluate them negatively and/or notice symptoms of their anxiety. Social phobia affects up to 13% of individuals
at some time in their lives and is usually associated with at least moderate functional impairment. Research on
the nature and treatment of social phobia has increased dramatically over the past decade. As with many of the
anxiety disorders, sensitive assessment instruments and effective treatments now exist for people suffering from
heightened social anxiety. Typical assessment strategies include clinical interviews, behavioural assessments,
monitoring diaries, and self-report questionnaires. Treatments with demonstrated efficacy for social phobia
include pharmacotherapy (for example, phenelzine, moclobemide, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor [SSRI]
medications) and cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) (for example, cognitive restructuring, in vivo exposure, social
skills training). Although preliminary comparative studies suggest that both approaches are about equally effective
in the short term, each approach has advantages and disadvantages over the other. Trials examining combined
psychological and pharmacological treatments are now under way, although no published data on the relative
efficacy of combined treatments are currently available.