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Childhood history of anxiety disorders among adults with social phobia: Rates, correlates, and comparisons with patients with panic disorder
Author(s) -
Otto Michael W.,
Pollack Mark H.,
Maki Kristin M.,
Gould Robert A.,
Worthington John J.,
Smoller Jordan W.,
Rosenbaum Jerrold F.
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
depression and anxiety
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.634
H-Index - 129
eISSN - 1520-6394
pISSN - 1091-4269
DOI - 10.1002/da.1068
Subject(s) - panic disorder , agoraphobia , anxiety disorder , psychology , anxiety , separation anxiety disorder , social anxiety , specific phobia , psychiatry , panic , comorbidity , phobic disorder , generalized anxiety disorder , clinical psychology , avoidant personality disorder , personality disorders , personality , social psychology
We examined the rates and correlates of a childhood history of anxiety disorders in 100 adults with a primary diagnosis of social phobia (social anxiety disorder). Adulthood and childhood disorders were assessed by experienced clinicians with structured clinical interviews. Rates of childhood anxiety disorders were evaluated to diagnostic comorbidity and a comparison group of patients with panic disorder. Onset of social phobia occurred before age 18 in 80% of the sample. Over half of the sample (54%) met criteria for one or more childhood anxiety disorders other than social phobia: 47% for overanxious disorder, 25% for avoidant disorder, 13% for separation anxiety disorder, and 1% for childhood agoraphobia. A history of childhood anxiety was associated with an early age of onset of social phobia, greater severity of fear and avoidance of social situations, greater fears of negative evaluation, and greater anxiety and depression morbidity. Rates of childhood social phobia, overanxious disorder, and avoidant disorder were significantly higher in patients with social phobia relative to our panic‐disordered comparison group. We found approximately equal rates of a childhood history of separation anxiety disorder in patients with social phobia and panic disorder, providing further evidence against a unique relationship between separation anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Depression and Anxiety 14:209–213, 2001. © 2001 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.