Rani experiences intense and incapacitating fear and embarrassment when interacting with others in society. This feature is characteristic of which disorder :
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → Social Phobia
Option (1) Separation anxiety disorder — Incorrect. It is fear and anxiety about separation from attachment figures, beyond what suits one’s age. Rani’s fear arises while she is with people, not when she is away from loved ones.
Option (2) Agoraphobia — Incorrect. It is a fear of entering unfamiliar situations, so that many sufferers are afraid of leaving their home. Rani’s fear is tied to interacting with others, not to unfamiliar places.
Option (3) Social Phobia — Correct. Intense and incapacitating fear and embarrassment when dealing with others characterises social anxiety disorder (social phobia), which is Rani’s experience in society.
Option (4) Claustrophobia — Incorrect. It is the fear of being in an enclosed space, one of the specific phobias, like the intense fear of a certain animal. Rani fears people, not closed places.
NCERT (2025-26): “Anxiety Disorders … Phobias can be grouped into three main types, i.e. specific phobias, social phobias, and agoraphobia. Specific phobias are the most commonly occurring type of phobia. This group includes irrational fears such as intense fear of a certain type of animal, or of being in an enclosed space. Intense and incapacitating fear and embarrassment when dealing with others characterises social anxiety disorder (social phobia).…” “…Agoraphobia is the term used when people develop a fear of entering unfamiliar situations. Many people with agoraphobia are afraid of leaving their home.…” “…Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is another type of anxiety disorder. Individuals with separation anxiety disorder are fearful and anxious about separation from attachment figures to an extent that is developmentally not appropriate.…” |