Prevalence of Panic in Adolescents: A Brief Report

Abstract

In a recent survey of panic attacks administered to 338 high school students, a significant number of adolescents (31.9%) reported experiencing at least one panic attack meeting DSM-III diagnostic criteria. In addition, 4.7% of the students reported experiencing panic severely and frequently enough to fulfill diagnostic criteria for panic disorder. These prevalence rates are consistent with the findings of current research into the incidence of panic phenomena among adults and provide evidence for the commonality of panic across various age groups. As there are few data concerning the incidence of anxiety disorders in adolescents, further investigation into the prevalence of panic in this population is warranted.

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