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Social Anxiety Disorder: Efficacy and Virtual Humans

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Advances in Virtual Reality and Anxiety Disorders

Part of the book series: Series in Anxiety and Related Disorders ((SARD))

Abstract

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) and the International Classification of Diseases (ICD)-10, the excessive, unreasonable, and persistent fear of social situations and social interactions is known as social phobia or social anxiety disorder (SAD). Individuals suffering from SAD dread social interactions because they fear scrutiny or negative judgment on behalf of others. Hence, interaction with other people can automatically bring on feelings of self-consciousness, judgment, evaluation, and inferiority and can lead to feelings of inadequacy, embarrassment, humiliation, and depression. A diagnosis is appropriate only when the avoidance, fear, or anxiety related to the anticipation of a social interaction interferes significantly with one’s everyday life. The DSM-IV-TR classification distinguishes two forms of social anxiety disorder: a generalized and a specific form.

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Notes

  1. 1.

    In virtuo is a termed coined by Tisseau to refer to “in virtual reality,” which is an expression consistent with others such as in vivo to describe exposure “in real life.” It should be privileged over “virtual exposure” or “virtual therapy,” because the exposure and the therapy are real, not virtual.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Virtual Reality Medical Center, San Diego, California, USA

    Brenda K. Wiederhold

  2. Université du Québec en Outaouais, Gatineau, Québec, Canada

    Stéphane Bouchard

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  1. Brenda K. Wiederhold
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Correspondence to Brenda K. Wiederhold .

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Wiederhold, B., Bouchard, S. (2014). Social Anxiety Disorder: Efficacy and Virtual Humans. In: Advances in Virtual Reality and Anxiety Disorders. Series in Anxiety and Related Disorders. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4899-8023-6_9

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