Specific Phobias have a minimum duration of symptoms for how long?

• A. 1 month
• B. 3 months
• C. 6 months
• D. 12 months

Answer: (C)

The main idea being tested is how long the symptoms must persist to meet the diagnosis. For a specific phobia, the fear or avoidance of a specific object or situation must last at least six months. This duration shows the fear is chronic and not just a fleeting reaction, and it typically causes meaningful distress or impairment in daily functioning. Among the options, shorter periods like one month or three months are not long enough to meet this persistence requirement. A full year would certainly exceed the minimum, but the question asks for the minimum duration, which is six months.