The DOI matches its Crossref record; 100 of the 100 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
Specific phobias
Open accessAbstract
Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent mental disorders, but the subcategory of specific phobias has not been well studied. Phobias involve both fear and avoidance. For people who have specific phobias, avoidance can reduce the constancy and severity of distress and impairment. However, these phobias are important because of their early onset and strong persistence over time. Studies indicate that the lifetime prevalence of specific phobias around the world ranges from 3% to 15%, with fears and phobias concerning heights and animals being the most common. The developmental course of phobias, which progress from fear to avoidance and then to diagnosis, suggests the possibility that interrupting the course of phobias could reduce their prevalence. Although specific phobias often begin in childhood, their incidence peaks during midlife and old age. Phobias persist for several years or even decades in 10-30% of cases, and are strongly predictive of onset of other anxiety, mood, and substance-use disorders. Their high comorbidity with other mental disorders, especially after onset of the phobia, suggests that early treatment of phobias could also alter the risk of other disorders. Exposure therapy remains the treatment of choice, although this approach might be less effective in the long term than previously believed. This Review discusses the literature regarding the prevalence, incidence, course, risk factors, and treatment of specific phobias, and presents epidemiological data from several population-based surveys.
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“Arachnophobia is a common source of anxiety within the general population [6].”
From Virtual reality exposure therapy for fear of spiders: an open trial and feasibility study of a new treatment for arachnophobia (2024) · cites this paper as [6]
Experimental — accuracy not yet measuredThe source backs part of the claim, not all of it — or backs it for a different population, condition or comparison.
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“Over time, these mechanisms cause a reduction or avoidance of health care services including preventive measures (9, 29, 31).”
From Combined Fainting and Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizures as Significant Therapy Hurdles in Blood-Injury-Injection Phobia: A Mini-Review and Case Report (2022) · cites this paper as [9]
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“BII phobia is a unique entity featuring intense fear and frequently fainting at the sight or anticipation of blood, physical injury that could lead to blood loss, or injection (9, 28, 29).”
From Combined Fainting and Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizures as Significant Therapy Hurdles in Blood-Injury-Injection Phobia: A Mini-Review and Case Report (2022) · cites this paper as [9]
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“A recent meta-analysis demonstrated a 41% heritability for blood-related fear and 33% for BII phobia, making it the most heritable specific phobia (9, 48).”
From Combined Fainting and Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizures as Significant Therapy Hurdles in Blood-Injury-Injection Phobia: A Mini-Review and Case Report (2022) · cites this paper as [9]
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“However, in the case of phobia relating to blood, injury, and injection (BII), studies identified a distinct pathophysiological mechanism (9, 21–28)”
From Combined Fainting and Psychogenic Non-epileptic Seizures as Significant Therapy Hurdles in Blood-Injury-Injection Phobia: A Mini-Review and Case Report (2022) · cites this paper as [9]
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Scary and nasty beasts: Self‐reported fear and disgust of common phobic animals
Polák, J., Rádlová, S., Janovcová, M., Jaroslav Flegr, A., Landová, E., & Frynta, D. (2019) · British Journal of Psychology · doi:10.1111/bjop.12409 · Cited by 135
Why do so many modern people hate insects? The urbanization–disgust hypothesis
Fukano, Y., & Soga, M. (2021) · The Science of The Total Environment · doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.146229 · Cited by 145
The study of active avoidance: a platform for discussion
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Anxiety and Depressive Disorders in Children Born Preterm: A Meta-Analysis
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Metadata
- Authors
- Eaton, W. W., Bienvenu, O. J., & Miloyan, B.
- Affiliations
- Johns Hopkins University (US)
- Federation University (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Eaton, William W
- Venue
- The Lancet Psychiatry
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2018-08
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 8
- Pages
- 678-686
- ISSN
- 2215-0366 (ISSN-L)
- PMC
- PMC7233312
- OpenAlex
- W4245095371
- Cited by
- 203
- References
- 100
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 37 · 2023: 34 · 2022: 31 · 2021: 27 · 2020: 15 · 2019: 5
- FWCI
- 1.87
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
- Locations
- The Lancet Psychiatry (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
- Funders
- National Institute on Aging (U01AG052445)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Mental Health Treatment and Access
- Keywords
- specific phobia, anxiety disorders, prevalence, incidence, developmental course, risk factors, comorbidities, exposure therapy, childhood onset
- MeSH terms
- Age Factors, Avoidance Learning, Humans, Phobic Disorders, Sex Factors, Global Health, Comorbidity, Prevalence, Age of Onset, Substance-Related Disorders
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