A 16 year old boy does not attend school because of the fear of being harmed by school mates. He thinks that his classmates laugh at and talk about him. He is even scared of going out to the market. He is most likely suffering from –
**Core Concept**
Social anxiety disorder is characterized by excessive and persistent fear of social situations, often stemming from a fear of being judged, evaluated, or rejected by others. This fear can lead to avoidance of social interactions, resulting in significant distress and impairment in daily life.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
The boy's symptoms, such as fear of being harmed by schoolmates, laughing at, and talking about him, are indicative of a social anxiety disorder. He exhibits avoidance behavior, such as not attending school and being scared of going out to the market, which is a hallmark feature of this disorder. This behavior is driven by an excessive fear of negative evaluation or rejection by others.
**Why Each Wrong Option is Incorrect**
**Option A:** This option might be incorrect because social anxiety disorder typically involves a fear of social or performance situations, whereas other anxiety disorders, such as specific phobias, may involve a fear of specific objects or situations.
**Option B:** This option might be incorrect because obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by unwanted and intrusive thoughts (obsessions) and repetitive behaviors (compulsions), which are not explicitly mentioned in the scenario.
**Option C:** This option might be incorrect because post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) typically involves exposure to a traumatic event, which is not mentioned in the scenario.
**Option D:** This option might be incorrect because selective mutism is characterized by a failure to speak in specific situations, whereas the boy is described as being afraid of being harmed by schoolmates, not a failure to speak.
**Clinical Pearl / High-Yield Fact**
Social anxiety disorder often co-occurs with other mental health conditions, such as depression and substance use disorders. It is essential to consider these comorbidities when diagnosing and treating social anxiety disorder.
**Correct Answer:** B.