Which disorder's diagnostic criteria include a duration of at least 6 months in social or performance situations?

• A. Social Anxiety Disorder
• B. Panic Disorder
• C. Generalized Anxiety Disorder
• D. Specific Phobia

Answer: (D)

Social Anxiety Disorder is defined by a marked fear or anxiety about social or performance situations in which the person may be scrutinized by others, lasting six months or longer and causing significant distress or impairment. The six-month duration is the key requirement that distinguishes a persistent social anxiety pattern from shorter-lived nervousness and aligns with how this disorder is diagnosed. The focus on social or performance contexts explains why this choice is the best fit: the fear centers on being judged in social settings, not on a general pattern of worry or on a specific object or situation. Panic Disorder involves recurrent panic attacks and concern about future attacks; Generalized Anxiety Disorder involves chronic worry across many domains; Specific Phobia centers on fear of a particular object or situation. While some phobias can last six months or more, they are not defined by social or performance-related fear, which makes social anxiety disorder the correct match for the described criterion.