Article2007

Feeling anxious: a twin study of panic/somatic ratings, anxiety sensitivity and heartbeat perception in children

Thalia Catherine Eley · Alice M. Gregory · David M. Clark · Anke Ehlers

89 citations0/0 files storedJournal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry

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Anxiety, Depression, Psychometrics, Treatment, Cognitive Processes Child and Adolescent Psychosocial and Emotional Development Mental Health Research Topics

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Little is known about mechanisms of genetic influence on panic, particularly in childhood. Cognitive theories of panic disorder highlight threatening interpretations of physical sensations, and increased awareness of such sensations. Specifically, anxiety sensitivity (AS) and heartbeat perception (HBP) have been associated with panic in adults and children. We examined genetic and environmental influences on childhood AS, HBP, panic/somatic ratings, and their associations. METHODS: Self-ratings of AS and DSM-based anxiety (including panic/somatic items) were obtained from 300 eight-year-old twin pairs (600 individuals), selected for mother-rated child anxiety at age 7. HBP was also assessed. RESULTS: Panic/somatic ratings were significantly correlated with both AS (r = .55) and continuous HBP error scores (r = -.13). AS and HBP scores showed significantly greater correlations with panic/somatic ratings than with all other anxiety scales, except for HBP and school anxiety. Genetic influences on panic/somatic ratings were modest (15%), and moderate for both AS (37%), and HBP (30%). Non-shared environmental influences were substantial. The genetic correlations between panic/somatic ratings and both AS and HBP error scores were .98 (95% CI: .74-1.00) and -.46 (95% CI: -1.00-1.00) respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Self-ratings of panic and AS overlap genetically. Future research should consider whether AS mediates genetic risk for panic disorder.

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References

1986Anxiety sensitivity, anxiety frequency and the prediction of fearfulness 1986A cognitive approach to panic 1999Psychometric Properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED): A Replication Study 1988Cognitive Psychology and Emotional Disorders 2000The Development and Well-Being Assessment: Description and Initial Validation of an Integrated Assessment of Child and Adolescent Psychopathology 1998Cognitive Psychology and Emotional Disorders 1992How does anxiety sensitivity vary across the anxiety disorders?1997The role of anxiety sensitivity in the pathogenesis of panic: Prospective evaluation of spontaneous panic attacks during acute stress.

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