Varying temporal criteria for generalized anxiety disorder: prevalence and clinical characteristics in a young age cohort.
BACKGROUND
This study questions the 6-month duration criterion for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) used in DSM-III-R and DSM-IV.


METHODS
In adults from age 20/21 to 40/41 in the prospective Zurich Cohort Study, four groups of generalized anxiety syndromes defined by varying duration (2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months) were compared.


RESULTS
Applying DSM-III (1979-1999) and DSM-III-R (1986-1999) criteria, there were no significant differences between the four groups in terms of family history of anxiety, work impairment, distress, treatment rates or co-morbidity with major depressive episodes (MDEs), bipolar disorder or suicide attempts. Only social impairment related to the length of episodes. The 6-month criterion of DSM-III-R and DSM-IV GAD would preclude this diagnosis in about half of the subjects treated for generalized anxiety syndromes.


CONCLUSIONS
In this epidemiological sample, the 6-month duration criterion for GAD could not be confirmed as clinically meaningful. GAD syndromes of varying duration form a continuum with comparable clinical relevance.
Angst
Jules
J
Zurich University Psychiatric Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. jangst@bli.unizh.ch
Gamma
Alex
A
Joseph Bienvenu
O
O
Eaton
William W
WW
Ajdacic
Vladeta
V
Eich
Dominique
D
Rössler
Wulf
W
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003710:Demography; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors