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Gender‐related differences in the onset of panic disorder
Author(s) -
Barzega Giulio,
Maina Giuseppe,
Venturello Sara,
Bogetto Filippo
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
acta psychiatrica scandinavica
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.849
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1600-0447
pISSN - 0001-690X
DOI - 10.1034/j.1600-0447.2001.00194.x
Subject(s) - panic disorder , psychology , depersonalization , family history , psychiatry , age of onset , mood disorders , mood , panic , bulimia nervosa , eating disorders , clinical psychology , anxiety , nosology , anxiety disorder , medicine , disease , emotional exhaustion , burnout
Objective: To investigate gender‐related differences in premorbid conditions and in the role of triggering events in the onset of panic disorder (PD). Method: One hundred and eighty‐four out‐patients with a principal diagnosis of PD (DSM‐IV) were evaluated with a semi‐structured interview to generate Axis I and Axis II diagnoses according to DSM‐IV, to collect family history of psychiatric disorders and life events. The statistical analysis was performed comparing men and women. Results: Men and women showed similar age at onset of PD. A family history of mood disorders characterized females. Men had higher rates of cyclothymia, body dysmorphic disorder and depersonalization disorder preceding PD, while women had higher rates of bulimia nervosa. Dependent and histrionic PDs were more common among women, while borderline and schizoid PDs were more common among men. Life events showed a significant role in precipitating PD onset in women. Conclusion: Premorbid clinical conditions of PD seem to differentiate between males and females in the role of precipitating events.