Specificity in familial aggregation of phobic disorders

Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1995 Jul;52(7):564-73. doi: 10.1001/archpsyc.1995.03950190046007.

Abstract

Background: To investigate whether each of three DSM-III-R phobic disorders (simple phobia, social phobia, and agoraphobia with panic attacks) is familial and "breeds true."

Design: Rates of each phobic disorder were contrasted in first-degree relatives of four proband groups: simple phobia, social phobia, agoraphobia with panic attacks, and not ill controls. Phobia probands were patients who had one of the phobia diagnoses but no other lifetime anxiety comorbidity.

Results: We found moderate (two- to fourfold increased risk) but specific familial aggregation of each of the three DSM-III-R phobic disorders.

Conclusions: These results support a specific familial contribution to each of the three phobia types. However, conclusions are limited to cases occurring without lifetime anxiety comorbidity and do not imply homogeneity within categories.

Publication types

  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Age Factors
  • Agoraphobia / diagnosis
  • Agoraphobia / epidemiology
  • Comorbidity
  • Confidence Intervals
  • Family*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Panic Disorder / diagnosis
  • Panic Disorder / epidemiology
  • Phobic Disorders / diagnosis
  • Phobic Disorders / epidemiology*
  • Prevalence
  • Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
  • Risk
  • Sex Factors
  • Terminology as Topic