Final answer:
The symptoms described by the patient suggest a diagnosis of Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD), which is characterized by social inhibition and a fear of being criticized or rejected. This aligns more closely with the patient's complaints than other personality disorders listed in the DSM.
Step-by-step explanation:
The patient presenting with intense fear of attending social functions, fear of acting in a humiliating or embarrassing way, and anxiety when meeting new people should have a differential diagnosis that includes an Axis II disorder from the DSM. The symptoms described are consistent with Avoidant Personality Disorder (APD), characterized by a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and hypersensitivity to negative evaluation. APD patients often avoid social interactions for fear of being criticized or rejected.
In contrast, Borderline Personality Disorder involves a pattern of instability in interpersonal relationships and self-image; Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder is characterized by a preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and control; Narcissistic Personality Disorder includes a pervasive pattern of grandiosity and need for admiration; and Dependent Personality Disorder is marked by a pervasive need to be taken care of, leading to clinging behavior and fear of separation. None of these other disorders align as closely with the fear of social functions and meeting new people as Avoidant Personality Disorder does.