Distinguishing mixed anxiety/depression from anxiety and depressive groups using the family history method.

The relationship between anxiety and depression has long been discussed and studied. Although it appears that there are pure forms of these disorders, several investigators have suggested that there is a separate combined anxiety/depression disorder distinct from either individual disorder. Several attempts have been made to investigate this distinction using family history methods. This report compares an anxiety/depression group to a depression-only group and anxiety-only group in a veteran population (n = 71) using the family history method. The depression group was clearly differentiated from the anxiety/depression group on the variables of generalized anxiety disorder and alcohol abuse. There was also discrimination between the anxiety and anxiety/depression groups on the DSM-III-R anxious personality disorder cluster. This is the first report in this area of the literature to use standardized family history methods that include personality disorder clusters.