Comparison of Disabilities in Patients with Social Phobia and Panic Disorder

Lee, Keun Mun; Oh, Youn Hee; Oh, Kang Seob

Abstract

OBJECTIVES
Disabilities in patients with panic disorder are well known for their acute and severe anxiety symptoms. Disabilities in patients with social phobia are not often rewgnied because symptoms are misattributed to simple shyness. We compared the severity and areas of disabilities among social phobia and panic disorder patients.
METHODS
The study participants were 53 patients with social phobia and 55 patients with panic disorder, diagnosed by MINI-Plus (Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview-Plus) and SDS (Sheehan disability scale).
RESULTS
Compared with panic disorder patients, the patients with social phobia showed significantly greater impairments in work and social subscales of SDS. However, the home disability subscale scores of the patients with panic disorder were higher than the patients with social phobia. The general disabilities and GAF (General Assessment Functioning) scores were not different signigicantly. Comorbid cases have shown to induce more dysfunctions in work and social areas, except home and leisure areas, irrespective of diagnoses.
CONCLUSION
Overall disabilities in patients with social phobia and panic disorder were not different significantly. But the disabilities were different accordiny to the areas, and the differences correlate with the specific symptoms.