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 children and adolescents. The current study thus examined the primary clinical features of panic disorder in an outpatient sample of older children and adolescents with panic disorder. Youngsters with panic disorder were compared to a matched-gender group of youngsters with non-panic 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 depression and greater levels of self-reported anxiety sensitivity than the non-panic group. These results are discussed in the context of one potential cognitive developmental pathway of panic disorder, and preliminary assessment and treatment recommendations are offered.