Abstract
dc:description.abstractThe current study examined the effects of specific phobia on an individual's quality of life (QOL) and life satisfaction. To that end, 29 individuals with DSM-IV diagnoses of specific phobia and 30 control participants with no current diagnosable psychopathology completed several widely utilized self-report questionnaires and an interview on QOL. Trained and reliable clinicians also completed ratings of participants QOL. Results were divided into participant-rated QOL findings and clinician-rated QOL findings. Participant-rated findings suggested phobic individuals experienced significantly more dissatisfaction with their ability to learn and acquire new skills than did controls. Phobic participants, however, also rated themselves as having less impairment than controls from pain—presumably related to their phobic avoidance. Clinician-rated findings suggested significant distress and impairment in phobic individuals' QOL relative to controls across a variety of domains (e.g., school, family, etc.). Discrepant findings between participant ratings and clinician ratings were explained using a cognitive dissonance model. Implications for future QOL research in those individuals with specific phobia as well as implications for their treatment were discussed.
Degree
thesis:*- Name thesis:degree_name
- Ph. D.
- Level thesis:degree_level
- doctoral
- Discipline thesis:degree_discipline
- Psychology
- Department dc:contributor.department
- Psychology
- Grantor dc:publisher
- Virginia Tech
- Year dc:date.issued
- 2005
Author and committee
dc:creator, dc:contributor.*- Author dc:creator
-
- Davis, Thompson Elder III
- Chair dc:contributor.committeechair
-
- Ollendick, Thomas H.
- Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember
-
- Cooper, Lee D.
- Jones, Russell T.
- Friedman, Bruce H.
- Clum, George A. Jr.
Subjects
dc:subject × 3Rights
dc:rights- Statement dc:rights
-
- In Copyright
- Licence dc:rights.uri
- Language dc:language.iso
- en_US
Identifiers
dc:identifier.*- Dc Identifier Other
- etd-04222005-145331
- OAI identifier oai:identifier
- oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/77968