Antecedents of the risk of recovery from DSM-III-R social phobia

Background. This study reports antecedents of recovery from DSM-III-R social phobia. Methods. Retrospective data were obtained from 1116 individuals age 15 to 64 participating in a large population health survey in the province of Ontario, Canada. Results. Approximately 50% of the sample recovered f...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Psychological medicine 1999-05, Vol.29 (3), p.569-582
Main Authors: DeWIT, D. J., OGBORNE, A., OFFORD, D. R., MacDONALD, K.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Adult and adolescent clinical studies
Anxiety disorders. Neuroses
Biological and medical sciences
Canada
Chronic Disease
Convalescence
Female
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Mental Health
Middle Aged
Phobia
Phobic Disorders - diagnosis
Phobic Disorders - psychology
Prognosis
Psychiatric Status Rating Scales
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Recovery
Reproducibility of Results
Retrospective Studies
Risk Factors
Social phobia
Surveys and Questionnaires
Citations: Items that cite this one
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Summary:Background. This study reports antecedents of recovery from DSM-III-R social phobia. Methods. Retrospective data were obtained from 1116 individuals age 15 to 64 participating in a large population health survey in the province of Ontario, Canada. Results. Approximately 50% of the sample recovered from their illness. Survival analysis revealed a median length of illness of 25 years with peak periods of risk of recovery occurring between 30 and 45 years duration. Using discrete time multivariate hazard regression analysis, statistically significant predictors of recovery from social phobia included: childhood social contextual factors (one or no childhood siblings, a small town childhood place of residence), characteristics of the disorder (onset past the age of 7, less than three disorder symptoms), an absence of co-morbid health-related conditions and psychiatric disorders (chronic health problems and major depression), and the occurrence of co-morbid chronic health problems and major depression prior to the onset of the disorder. Conclusions. Our data indicate that social phobia in the general population is a chronic and unremittent disorder. Determinants of recovery are rooted in distal childhood circumstances, disorder attributes, and the physical and mental health status of individuals over the life course.
ISSN:0033-2917
1469-8978
DOI:10.1017/S0033291799008399