PANIC-PHOBIC PATIENTS AND DEVELOPMENTAL TRAUMA

Background: Several studies suggest high rates of developmental trauma among adult anxiety disorder patients. We attempted to replicate thes e findings in patients with panic disorder, agoraphobia, and/or social phobia in comparison with a nonclinical population and to evaluate po ssible relationships of traumas and phobic subtypes. Method: Fifty-one patients with panic disorder with agoraphobia and/or social phobia we re assessed for lifetime diagnoses using interviews and rating scales and for developmental trauma by the Life Experience Questionnaire (LEQ ). Fifty-one demographically similar nonclinical subjects completed a questionnaire that included the LEQ and screening questions for lifeti me psychopathology. Results: Childhood trauma was reported by 63% (N = 32) of the patients (vs. 35% or 18 of comparison subjects and 24% or 9 of subjects negative for lifetime psychopathology; chi(2) = 7.7, df = 1, p <.01). Sexual and/or physical abuse histories (and not separati on and/or loss) were significantly increased in the patient group and were most specifically associated with social phobia. Conclusion: We f ind a similar, increased rate of childhood trauma as has been reported in previous studies of anxiety disorder patients. In our findings, th is most specifically represents an association of social phobia and se xual/physical abuse histories.