AT RISK FOR ANXIETY .1. PSYCHOPATHOLOGY IN THE OFFSPRING OF ANXIOUS PARENTS

Objective and Method: Children of parents with anxiety disorders, depr essive disorders, mixed anxiety/depressive disorders, and no psychiatr ic disorder were assessed with semistructured interviews to determine rates of overall psychopathology and to determine specifically the pre sence of anxiety disorders. Results: Children of the three ''high-risk '' groups were significantly more likely to have a diagnosable disorde r (including anxiety disorders) than offspring of normal parents, but there were no differences among the children from the three parental d iagnostic groups. However, when examined specifically for anxiety diso rders, offspring of anxious parents were significantly more likely to have only anxiety disorders. Offspring of depressed or mixed anxious/d epressed parents had a broader range of disorders and more comorbid di sorders. Family socioeconomic status was related to the probability th at a child would have a disorder. Conclusions: Anxiety disorders are c ommon among offspring of anxious and depressed parents. However, when a parent has depression, children exhibit a broader range of psychopat hology than when a parent has an anxiety disorder alone.