Klinik Psikiyatri Dergisi (Apr 2020)

The prevalance of separation anxiety disorder in patients with generalised anxiety disorder who applied to an university hospital outpatient clinic (tur)

  • Nevlin Özkan Demir,
  • Yasemin Görgülü

DOI
https://doi.org/10.5505/kpd.2020.16046
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 23, no. 2
pp. 188 – 195

Abstract

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INTRODUCTION[|]Separation anxiety disorder (SAD) is mostly known as a psychiatric disorder of childhood. However SAD has been redefined in DSM-5 and thus, it has became possible to diagnose SAD in adulthood as well. The aim of our study is to determine the prevelance of SAD among adult patients with generalised anxiety disorder, also to investigate the symptoms of separation anxiety in childhood and to examine its reflections on the separation anxiety symptoms of adulthood.[¤]METHODS[|]50 adult patients with generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) who were admitted to the psychiatry outpatient clinic of Trakya University Hospital were included in this study. The presence of psychiatric disorders was determined according to the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-IV Axis I Disorders (SCID-I). Structured Clinical Interview for Separation Anxiety Symptoms (SCI-SAS) and Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASA) were applied to assess the symptoms of separation anxiety. Sociodemographic factors and reports of early separation anxiety (Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventory, SASI) and a retrospective diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder among childhood were also measured.[¤]RESULTS[|]According to our results the prevalance of SAD in patients with GAD was 45,2% and SAD was more common among females (p=0,02). Patients with SAD had elevated early separation anxiety scores. Furthermore, a statistically significant positive correlation was found between childhood SASI and ASA scores (r=0,71, p=0,00).[¤]DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION[|]Our results show that separation anxiety is highly prevalant among GAD patients. Early separation anxiety scores are positively correlated with adult separation anxiety scores. However, in order to determine the effects of chilhood separation anxiety symptoms on adulthood, large sample sizes and prospective studies are needed. [¤]

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