School refusal in young adolescent girls with nonclinical panic attacks

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to determine whether adolescent girls with panic attacks not selected on the basis of seeking treatment, have the associated symptomatology that characterizes patients with panic symptoms from clinical samples. The sample consisted of 713 sixth- and seventh-grade girls who were administered a structured interview and questionnaire to assess panic symptoms, agoraphobic avoidance, school refusal, depression, and substance use. The 40 subjects reporting panic attacks were matched for age, pubertal status, and ethnicity with 120 comparison subjects. School refusal and depressive symptoms were more common among those having experienced a panic attack compared with those in the matched comparison group. Agoraphobic avoidance and substance use were not associated with panic. If replicated, panic attacks should be considered in the differential diagnosis for young adolescent girls presenting with school refusal, particularly since adolescents rarely volunteer symptoms of panic.