This major handbook provides an authoritative review of the current knowledge regarding the fundamental biological and developmental processes related to self, social interaction, and shyness, covering the main approaches to intervention and treatment.

The field of social anxiety and shyness is defined by research and practice in child development, psychophysiology, social and personality psychology, clinical psychology, psychiatry and psychotherapy.

This Handbook reflects the field with major sections on the origin and development of shyness and social anxiety, on social and personality factors, and on clinical perspectives and interventions. The editors have brought together original chapters by some of the leading international experts, to provide a state-of-the-art account of knowledge in this field. The purpose was to review and synthesize a very extensive literature from diverse disciplines, with a critical focus on knowledge that is research-based, central to the understanding of social anxiety, and of essential interest to a wide range of students, researchers and professionals.

This comprehensive, authoritative and up-to-date volume will be of value to students, teachers and researchers in developmental, social and abnormal psychology, as well as to trainees and practitioners in clinical psychology, psychiatry, psychotherapy and counselling.