title: Is early separation anxiety a specific precursor of panic disorder-agoraphobia? A community study.
abstract: The present study aimed to examine memories of early separation anxiety symptoms in a community sample of women at heightened risk to neurotic disorder. The chief finding was that subjects with a lifetime history of panic disorder-agoraphobia (PD-Ag) returned statistically higher scores on a retrospective measure of early separation anxiety compared to subjects with either generalized anxiety or other phobic disorders, a result which was not accounted for by differences in neuroticism or General Health Questionnaire scores. Although limited by its retrospective design and the problem of co-morbidity in subclassifying the anxiety disorders, the present study does provide added support for the hypothesis--endorsed by DSM-III-R--that there is a developmental link between early separation anxiety and panic disorder.
authors.affiliation: Academic Mental Health Unit, School of Psychiatry, University of New South Wales, Liverpool Hospital, Australia.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Silove
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Boyce
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Manicavasagar
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hadzi-Pavlovic
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Wilhelm
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000379:Agoraphobia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D015897:Comorbidity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D016584:Panic Disorder / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000523:psychology; D010552:Personality Assessment; D010553:Personality Development; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000523:psychology; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors