Childhood trauma in adults with social anxiety disorder and panic disorder: a cross-national study.

OBJECTIVES: The influence of childhood trauma as a specific environmental factor on the development of adult psychopathology is far from being elucidated. As part of a collaborative project between research groups from South Africa (SA) and Sweden focusing on genetic and environmental factors contributing to anxiety disorders, this study specifically investigated rates of childhood trauma in South African and Swedish patients respectively, and whether, in the sample as a whole, different traumatic experiences in childhood are predictive of social anxiety (SAD) or panic disorder (PD) in adulthood. METHOD: Participants with SAD or PD (85 from SA, 135 from Sweden) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Logistic regression was performed with data from the two countries separately, and from the sample as a whole, with primary diagnoses as dependent variables, gender, age, and country as covariates, and the CTQ subscale totals as independent variables. The study also investigated the internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) of the CTQ subscales. RESULTS: SA patients showed higher levels of childhood trauma than Swedish patients. When data from both countries were combined, SAD patients reported higher rates of childhood emotional abuse compared to those with PD. Moreover, emotional abuse in childhood was found to play a predictive role in SAD/PD in adulthood in the Swedish and the combined samples, and the same trend was found in the SA sample. The psychometric qualities of the CTQ subscales were adequate, with the exception of the physical neglect subscale. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that anxiety disorder patients may differ across countries in terms of childhood trauma. Certain forms of childhood abuse may contribute specific vulnerability to different types of psychopathology. Longitudinal studies should focus on the potential sequential development of SAD/PD among individuals with childhood emotional abuse.

Childhood trauma in adults with social anxiety disorder and panic disorder: a cross-national study

Objectives: The influence of childhood trauma as a specific environmental factor on the development of adult psychopathology is far from being elucidated. As part of a collaborative project between research groups from South Africa (SA) and Sweden focusing on genetic and environmental factors contributing to anxiety disorders; this study specifically investigated rates of childhood trauma in South African and Swedish patients respectively; and whether; in the sample as a whole; different traumatic experiences in childhood are predictive of social anxiety (SAD) or panic disorder (PD) in adulthood. Method: Participants with SAD or PD (85 from SA; 135 from Sweden) completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ). Logistic regression was performed with data from the two countries separately; and from the sample as a whole; with primary diagnoses as dependent variables; gender; age; and country as covariates; and the CTQ subscale totals as independent variables. The study also investigated the internal consistency (Cronbach alpha) of the CTQ subscales. Results: SA patients showed higher levels of childhood trauma than Swedish patients. When data from both countries were combined; SAD patients reported higher rates of childhood emotional abuse compared to those with PD. Moreover; emotional abuse in childhood was found to play a predictive role in SAD/PD in adulthood in the Swedish and the combined samples; and the same trend was found in the SA sample. The psychometric qualities of the CTQ subscales were adequate; with the exception of the physical neglect subscale. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that anxiety disorder patients may differ across countries in terms of childhood trauma. Certain forms of childhood abuse may contribute specific vulnerability to different types of psychopathology. Longitudinal studies should focus on the potential sequential development of SAD/PD among individuals with childhood emotional abuse

Factors affecting motivation to treatment in severely dependent alcoholics.

OBJECTIVE: This article explores environmental, developmental and personality-related factors as predictors of motivation to treatment for alcoholism, using such concepts as: social situation on admission, treatment career, age, education and adventurous patterns of behavior. METHOD: The original population consists of 603 severely dependent alcoholic patients (76% men, 42% compulsorily committed) with a mean age of 40 years. In structural equation model estimation, 85% of the original cases were used (N = 511), made up of compulsorily as well as voluntarily admitted patients. A reduced model was tried on voluntary patients alone. RESULTS: In the main model, patterns of behavior and age were not related to the motivation to treatment, while treatment career had some negative impact. Social problems were related to less motivation to treatment. In turn, a worse social situation was related to more treatment experience. The reduced model on voluntary patients alone confirmed the main findings, although more previous treatment tended to be related to more motivation. CONCLUSIONS: Motivation was mostly related to a better social situation (i.e., having "more to lose"). A collapse in the social situation was more of an obstacle than a promoter of motivation. There was no support for statements that "maturing out" would result in more motivation, and findings were inconclusive concerning the impact on motivation of having had many previous treatment experiences. The pattern of behavior was not directly related to the level of motivation. Based on these findings, the relevance of social work for motivation to treatment is discussed.

Mortality of treated alcoholics after eight years in relation to short-term outcome.

This study concerns the relation between mortality and the short-term outcome of inpatient treatment for alcoholism. A total of 121 patients (87 men, 34 women) were included, of whom 89 were voluntary and 32 compulsorily committed. They had a mean age of 41 +/- 7 (SD) years and attended a 5-week programme at Runnagården, Orebro, Sweden. Most patients were socially unstable and severely alcohol-dependent. Ten months (mean) after discharge, 96% of the patients and their referring social workers were contacted with mail questionnaires. Of these patients, 13% had been totally abstinent and a further 42% improved but had had relapses. After a mean of 8.5 +/- 0.27 years, 27 patients (24%) had died. All abstainers survived, but non-abstainers had nine-fold higher mortality than expected. Non-abstinent improved women tended to survive longer than non-improved women, but among non-abstinent improved men no such tendency was found. In conclusion, a reduction in the frequency and quantity of abusive drinking was not enough to reduce the higher risk of death. Only abstinence seemed to be preventive.