Agoraphobia criterion involves fear of which type of situations for more than six months?

• A. Public transportation, open spaces, crowds, strange places
• B. Only being at home
• C. Interpersonal conflicts
• D. Medical procedures in a clinic

Answer: (A)

Agoraphobia involves fear or anxiety about being in situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable if panic-like symptoms occur, and this fear lasts six months or more. The situations most commonly feared include using public transportation, being in open spaces, being in enclosed spaces, standing in a crowd, and being outside the home alone (or, in some descriptions, unfamiliar places). Because the fear is tied to multiple types of situations and leads to avoidance and impairment, the option listing public transportation, open spaces, crowds, and unfamiliar places fits this pattern. The other choices don’t capture the broad range of situations central to agoraphobia: fearing only being at home, or fears related to interpersonal conflicts or medical procedures, aren’t the defining criteria.