ASSESSMENT AND PHENOMENOLOGY OF NONCLINICAL PANIC ATTACKS IN ADOLESCENT GIRLS

Recent reviews of studies concerning panic attacks in adolescents have emphasized research limitations, noting problems of validity, reliabi lity, and lack of normative data. To address some of these limitations we evaluated two methods of panic ascertainment (questionnaire versus interview), reliability of interview-determined panic, and clinical c orrelates of panic symptoms in a large sample (N = 1013) of early adol escent girls. The 5.4% of the sample who, when interviewed, reported e ver experiencing a panic attack scored significantly higher on measure s of depression, anxiety sensitivity, and alcohol use, but were not mo re avoidant than others. Using the interview as the standard, the ques tionnaire had a specificity of 81% and a sensitivity of 72%. Adolescen ts do experience panic attacks-whether identified by questionnaire or interview-although for many the attacks may not be salient. Longitudin al studies are required to determine those qualities of nonclinical pa nic (severity, context, interpretation/attribution), which render some episodes as clinically meaningful. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science Ltd.