Article Sections

Introduction

Specific phobia is characterized by a persistent, intense fear of an object or situation that causes significant distress or functional impairment and is out of proportion with the actual danger or risk associated with the object or situation.  Specific phobia often results in panic symptoms and avoidance behaviors.

Epidemiology and risk factors

Specific phobia is common, with an estimated lifetime prevalence of approximately 10%.  Women are more frequently affected than men (2:1 ratio), and onset is typically during childhood.

Several factors may increase the likelihood of developing specific phobia, including traits such as neuroticism (predisposition to negative affects) and behavioral inhibition (tendency to avoid or experience distress from novel or unfamiliar situations).  Additional risk factors include parental overprotectiveness, parental loss and separation, adverse childhood events (eg, neglect, abuse), and stressful or traumatic life events (eg, intimate partner violence).

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