Specificity in familial aggregation of phobic disorders.
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."


METHODS
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.
Fyer
A J
AJ
Department of Psychiatry, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, New York, NY, USA.
Mannuzza
S
S
Chapman
T F
TF
Martin
L Y
LY
Klein
D F
DF
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D005190:Family; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012306:Risk; D012737:Sex Factors; D009626:Terminology as Topic