STRUCTURED INTERVIEW ASSESSMENT OF NONCLINICAL PANIC

Numerous researchers have asserted that the study of nonclinical panic may have considerable utility to the evaluation of current conceptual models of panic and panic disorder. Despite evidence suggesting many similarities between nonclinical panic and panic disorder, the significance of these findings is mitigated by several methodological difficulties including the use of panic classification schemes involving questionnaire assessment and failure to consider DSM-III-R criteria for panic, particularly spontaneous panic. Accordingly, the present study examined the prevalence and nature of panic in a large nonclinical sample (N = 171) using the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-Revised (ADIS-R). Interrater agreement of ADIS-R panic classifications was high (kappa = .83). Whereas one-year prevalence of panic (29.2%) was similar to rates obtained in previous studies that used questionnaire-based classifications, the rate of uncued panic was substantially lower (2.3%). Moreover, a large proportion of panics reported by subjects appeared to represent reactions to situations associated with actual threat (i.e., true alarm reactions). These data are discussed as suggesting potential caveals in the use of extant nonclinical panic findings to contribute to the understanding of panic disorder.