out of proportion to the actual th reat posed by the social situation.
Autism spectrum disorder. Social anxiety and social comm unication deficits are hall-
marks of autism spectrum disorder. Individu als with social anxiety disorder typically
have adequate age-appropriate social relationships and social communication capacity,
although they may appear to have impairment in these areas when first interacting with
unfamiliar peers or adults.
Personality disorders. Given its frequent onset in childhood and its persistence into and
through adulthood, social anxiety disorder may resemble a personality disorder. The most
apparent overlap is with avoidant personalit y disorder. Individuals with avoidant person-
ality disorder have a broader avoidance pattern than those with social anxiety disorder.
Nonetheless, social anxiety disorder is typica lly more comorbid with avoidant personality
disorder than with other personality disorders, and avoidant personality disorder is more
comorbid with social anxiety disorder  than with other anxiety disorders. 
Other mental disorders. Social fears and discomfort can occur as part of schizophrenia,
but other evidence for psychotic symptoms is usually present. In individuals with an eat-
ing disorder, it is important to determine th at fear of negative evaluation about eating
disorder symptoms or behaviors (e.g., purging and vomiting) is not the sole source of so-
cial anxiety before applying a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder. Similarly, obsessive-
compulsive disorder may be asso ciated with social anxiety, but the additional diagnosis of
social anxiety disorder is used only when social fears and avoidance are independent of
the foci of the obsessions and compulsions. 
Other medical conditions. Medical conditions may produce symptoms that may be em-
barrassing (e.g. trembling in Parkinson’s dise ase). When the fear of negative evaluation
due to other medical conditions  is excessive, a diagnosis of social anxiety disorder should
be considered.