RELATIONSHIP OF ANTECEDENT STRESSFUL LIFE EVENTS TO CHILDHOOD AND FAMILY HISTORY OF ANXIETY AND THE COURSE OF PANIC DISORDER

The authors examined the incidence of significant life events during t he year prior to the onset of panic disorder and its relationship to c hildhood and family history of anxiety difficulties, comorbidity, and the course of illness in 223 panic patients followed in a naturalistic study of panic disorder. Similar to previous reports, antecedent nega tive life events occurred in the majority (80%) of patients. Patients with a childhood history of anxiety and comorbid adulthood major depre ssion were more likely to report an antecedent, stressful life event. Antecedent events were not linked with comorbid, adulthood anxiety dis orders or a family history of anxiety difficulties. Despite its associ ations with childhood anxiety pathology and adulthood major depression , the presence of an identifiable antecedent at the onset of panic dis order was nor associated with the subsequent severity or course of the disorder.