Abstract
Despite abundant research demonstrating the magnitude of comorbidity and its importance
in understanding childhood psychopathology, there has been limited empirical research
designed to examine the nature and causes of comorbidity among youth. This article
reviews the current literature on the magnitude and mechanisms of depressive comorbidity
and presents data to exemplify the application of high-risk and longitudinal study
designs to investigate patterns and explanations for comorbidity. A prospective family
study of offspring at high and low risk for the development of anxiety was used to
examine the specificity of familial comorbidity of depression and anxiety and the
longitudinal stability of “pure” and comorbid disorders over an 8-year period. Findings
suggest some specificity of familial expression, as well as longitudinal specificity,
of depression and anxiety. The onset of depression follows the onset of most anxiety
subtypes, suggesting the sequential nature of depressive comorbidity. Evaluation of
mechanisms for comorbidity is important for the identification of homogeneous syndrome
categories that will inform research designed to gain understanding of the pathogenesis
of mood or anxiety disorders.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
March 9,
2001
Received in revised form:
March 6,
2001
Received:
December 6,
2000
Identification
Copyright
© 2001 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
