Bipolar Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Bipolar, including details on bipolar disorder, symptoms, treatment, depression, medication.

Varying temporal criteria for generalized anxiety disorder: prevalence and clinical characteristics in a young age cohort.

Angst J, Gamma A, Joseph Bienvenu O, Eaton WW, Ajdacic V, Eich D, Rössler W

Zurich University Psychiatric Hospital, Zurich, Switzerland. jangst@bli.unizh.ch

BACKGROUND: This study questions the 6-month duration criterion for generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) used in DSM-III-R and DSM-IV. METHOD: In adults from age 20/21 to 40/41 in the prospective Zurich Cohort Study, four groups of generalized anxiety syndromes defined by varying duration (2 weeks, 1 month, 3 months and 6 months) were compared. RESULTS: Applying DSM-III (1979-1999) and DSM-III-R (1986-1999) criteria, there were no significant differences between the four groups in terms of family history of anxiety, work impairment, distress, treatment rates or co-morbidity with major depressive episodes (MDEs), bipolar disorder or suicide attempts. Only social impairment related to the length of episodes. The 6-month criterion of DSM-III-R and DSM-IV GAD would preclude this diagnosis in about half of the subjects treated for generalized anxiety syndromes. CONCLUSIONS: In this epidemiological sample, the 6-month duration criterion for GAD could not be confirmed as clinically meaningful. GAD syndromes of varying duration form a continuum with comparable clinical relevance.

Published 8 August 2006 in Psychol Med, 36(9): 1283-92.
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