ARTICLES
Parent-Reported Predictors of Adolescent Panic Attacks

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ABSTRACT

Objective

To identify parent-reported risk factors for adolescent panic attacks.

Method

Structured diagnostic interviews were obtained from 770 parents of participants in a school-based risk factor study for adolescent panic. Parent-reported risk factors assessed included characteristics of the child (negative affect, separation anxiety disorder [SAD], childhood chronic illness, and childhood loss) as well as characteristics of the parent (parental panic disorder or agoraphobia [PDA], parental major depression, and parental chronic illness).

Results

Bivariate predictors of adolescent panic attacks included parent history of PDA, parent history of chronic illness, child negative affect, and child SAD. Using signal detection methods, three subgroups of participants at risk for panic attacks were identified. Fifty-eight percent of adolescents with panic attacks belonged to one of these high-risk groups. Adolescents with a positive parental history of PDA were at highest risk: 24% of this group experienced panic attacks. Among those without a positive parental history of PDA, those with high childhood negative affect or history of SAD were at increased risk for panic attacks (14% and 20%, respectively).

Conclusions

The use of parent-reported data provides cross-validation for previously identified risk factors of adolescent panic attacks. Signal detection results suggest there are multiple paths (equifinality) to the development of adolescent panic attacks.

Section snippets

Participants

Ninety-five percent (N = 2,365) of all students enrolled in four Northern California public high schools were enrolled into the study, which was presented as an investigation of student health beliefs and behaviors. The public high schools selected for the study were ethnically diverse and located in middle-class suburban neighborhoods near San Jose.

Procedure

Baseline and three annual follow-up assessments were conducted each spring. At every evaluation, students completed a self-report questionnaire and

Descriptive Analysis.

Sixty-seven (8.7%) subjects reported a lifetime history of one or more panic attacks. Table 1 shows the means and standard deviations, as well as frequencies for binary variables, for all predictor variables by gender in those adolescents with panic attacks versus those without.

Bivariate Analysis.

Logistic regression was used to evaluate the relationships between each predictor and panic attacks. Table 2 shows the outcomes of these analyses. Negative affect, parental history of PDA, SAD, and parent history of

DISCUSSION

This study provides information regarding predictors for adolescent panic attacks using parent-reported data. The use of parent-reported data provides cross-validation for risk factors identified from a previous study that used only adolescent-reported risk factors (Hayward et al., 2000) and offers tests of additional risk factors that are best obtained from parents. With respect to cross-validation, findings from this study provide further support for the association between childhood negative

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  • Cited by (0)

    This research was made possible by grants from the NIMH (5R01 HD24779-05 and 5R01 MH45431-04) , the Stanford Center on Adolescence, and the W. T. Grant Foundation Faculty Scholars Award (Dr. Hayward). Helena C. Kraemer, Ph.D., served as the statistical consultant for this report.

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