THE PHENOMENOLOGY OF PANIC DISORDER IN YOUNGSTERS - AN EMPIRICAL-STUDY OF A CLINICAL-SAMPLE

Questions about the existence of panic disorder in youngsters are now evolving into questions about the phenomenology of panic disorder in c hildren and adolescents. The current study thus examined the primary c linical features of panic disorder in an outpatient sample of older ch ildren and adolescents with panic disorder. Youngsters with panic diso rder were compared to a matched-gender group of youngsters with non-pa nic anxiety disorders. Dependent variables included diagnoses and self -ratings of fear, depression, general anxiety, and anxiety sensitivity . The panic group was found to display more frequent diagnoses of depr ession and greater levels of self-reported anxiety sensitivity than th e non-panic group. These results are discussed in the context of one p otential cognitive developmental pathway of panic disorder, and prelim inary assessment and treatment recommendations are offered. (C) 1997 E lsevier Science Ltd.