Childhood history of behavioral inhibition and comorbidity status in 256 adults with social phobia.
BACKGROUND
Behavioral inhibition (BI), a heritable temperament, predisposes one to an increased risk of social phobia. Recent investigations have reported that BI may also be a precursor to anxiety as well as depressive and alcohol-related disorders, which are frequently comorbid with social phobia. In the present study, we explored the relationship between BI and psychiatric disorders in 256 adults with a primary diagnosis of social phobia.


METHODS
BI severity was retrospectively assessed with the Retrospective Self-Report of Inhibition (RSRI). The severity of social phobia and the presence of comorbid diagnoses were evaluated with the Liebowitz Social Anxiety Scale (LSAS) and the Mini-International Neuropsychiatric Interview, respectively.


RESULTS
The RSRI score was significantly and positively correlated with both the LSAS score and the occurrence of a major depressive disorder. No significant association was found with other anxiety and substance-related disorders.


CONCLUSIONS
The assessment of BI was retrospective and self-reported.


CONCLUSIONS
A childhood history of BI was associated with an increased risk of depressive comorbidity in social phobia.
Rotge
Jean-Yves
JY
Department of Psychiatry, Charles Perrens Hospital, Bordeaux, France. jeanyves.rotge@mac.com
Grabot
Denis
D
Aouizerate
Bruno
B
Pélissolo
Antoine
A
Lépine
Jean-Pierre
JP
Tignol
Jean
J
D000328:Adult; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002648:Child; D015897:Comorbidity; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003865:Major Depressive Disorder / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007266:Inhibition, Psychological; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D012307:Risk Factors; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires