Reference
Guide | Reference

58  Specific Phobia Pattern Prototype

58.1 Summary

  • A pattern of intense fear linked to a specific object or situation, leading to avoidance or distress when confronted.

58.2 Prototype Features

  • Fear focused on a discrete trigger (e.g., heights, needles, animals).
  • Immediate anxiety or panic on exposure.
  • Avoidance or endurance with marked distress.

58.3 Threshold Guidance

  • Use when fear is persistent and functionally impairing.

58.4 Expected Domain Profile

  • Anxiety and Threat Sensitivity: mild to moderate overall, high in specific contexts.

58.5 Time-Course and Trajectory

  • Trigger-bound, often stable over time.

58.6 Differential and Red Flags

  • Trauma-related cues resembling the trigger.
  • Medical fears linked to health anxiety.
  • Developmentally typical fears in children.

58.7 Specifiers (treatment-relevant, non-prescriptive)

  • Course/time pattern (trigger-linked, stable).
  • Contributors (traumatic exposure, learned fear).
  • Risk modifiers (avoidance severity).

58.8 Measurement Prompts

  • Trigger exposure log.
  • Brief fear severity scale.

58.10 Documentation Snippet (1-2 lines)

  • “Intense fear of a specific trigger with avoidance; Threat 2; trigger-linked course.”