Behavioral assessment of social anxiety and social phobia

Abstract

This review highlights important issues and frequently used or promising measures for the behavioral assessment of social anxiety and social phobia. The major assessment approaches discussed are behavioral interviews, self-report inventories, self-monitoring diaries, and behavioral observation of social performance. Included among the questionnaire measures are inventories of general fear and anxiety, social anxiety, shyness, and social skill and behavior. Questions of reliability, validity, and utility of these measures are addressed. Within the area of behavioral observation, the review is organized around key issues in the literature, such as the type of interaction selected, the behavior observed, and who performs the ratings. Future directions for both research and clinical applications of behavioral assessment are suggested.