LIFE EVENTS IN CHILDHOOD, ADOLESCENCE AND ADULTHOOD AND THE RELATIONSHIP TO PANIC DISORDER

The aim of this study was to explore the association between stressful life events (SLE) and the development of panic disorder (PD) in an Is raeli sample. A total of 44 PD patients and a matched control group we re studied with regard to SLE over the life cycle (in childhood, adole scence, adulthood and the year preceding the outbreak of the disorder) . The major findings were as follows. (i) With regard to the total num ber of life events experienced in childhood and adolescence, the PD gr oup had experienced significantly more life events than the control gr oup. (ii) No differences were detected in the total amount of SLE betw een the PD group and the control group with regard to adulthood and th e year preceding the outbreak of the disorder, although the PD group h ad more life events relating to loss in adulthood, whereas in the year before the outbreak of PD life events relating to 'love and family' n egative and loss events were more prevalent. These results expand prev ious findings by demonstrating that SLE in childhood and adolescence m ay contribute to the development of PD in adulthood.