ABSTRACT
A comparative study of 80 social phobics met the D.S.M. III. R. criteria and 80 control derived from same clinic population of similar socio - economic background suffering for anxiety disorders other than social phobia. Only 20% of social phobic patients reported inhibited, withdrawn childhood adjustment which does not give much support to the assumption of avoidant disorder of childhood being the precursor of social phobia. Significantly, more patients [p <0.001], then control reported problems with a severe, harsh, punitive father. A similar perception was reported from a mother in less frequency but still significant compared to control. A perceived traumatic life event to have precipitated a disorder was reported equally in patients and control, however, 9% of patients, reported sexual assault trauma, compared to none in the control