Drug abusers suffering from social phobia show more avoidance tendencies than patients with social phobia alone
Details
Serval ID
serval:BIB_1077F24EB5FE
Type
Article: article from journal or magazin.
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
Drug abusers suffering from social phobia show more avoidance tendencies than patients with social phobia alone
Journal
Mental Health and Substance Use: dual diagnosis
ISSN
1752-3281
Publication state
Published
Issued date
2008
Peer-reviewed
Oui
Volume
1
Number
2
Pages
135-142
Language
english
Notes
Background: Comorbidity between social anxiety disorder (SAD) and substance use disorder (SUD) is elevated but little is known about the role of avoidance with regard to the aetiology and maintenance of these disorders. Aims: The objective of the study was to compare patients with SAD and comorbid SUD with patients suffering from SAD only with regard to fear and avoidance symptoms. Methods: Thirty patients presenting SAD and comorbid SUD were recruited by the local Substance Abuse Unit, and 26 patients with SAD only were identified within the general population by the research team. All patients were asked to answer the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale. Results: Patients suffering from SAD and SUD showed a higher avoidance/total score ratio. Avoidance contributed at mean to 49.7% (±4.9%) of the total score in patients with SAD and SUD, whereas its mean contribution was 46.5% (±3.1%) in patients with SAD only (effect size 0.77). Conclusions: Avoidance tendencies appear to be more prominent in patients suffering from SAD and SUD. Focusing on avoidance may be of interest for clinical practice and for research when investigating the cognitive and behavioural bottom structure of patients suffering from SAD and comorbid SUD.
Keywords
anxiety disorder, avoidance, comorbidity, fear, Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale, social phobia, substance abuse
Create date
21/05/2008 10:04
Last modification date
20/08/2019 12:37