The related factors with functionality and the comorbidity in the patients with adult seperation anxiety disorder

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to determine the frequency of psychiatric comorbidity in patients with Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder (ASAD) and investigate its effect on suicidal ideation and functionality. Method: We included 107 participants diagnosed with ASAD. The patients were interviewed based on the Structured Clinical Interview for DSM-5 Disorders-Clinician Version (SCID-5-CV). We applied sociodemographic data form, SCL-90-R Symptom Checklist, Adult Separation Anxiety Questionnaire (ASAQ), Structured Clinical Interview for Separation Anxiety Symptoms (SCI-SAA), Separation Anxiety Symptom Inventory (SASI), World Health Organization Disability Assessment Scale (WHODAS) to all participants. Results: The mean age of onset of the disorder was 20.1 ± 6. Eighty-seven (81.3%) of the patients had psychiatric comorbidity (29% had major depression, 17.8% panic disorder, 16.8% obsessive-compulsive disorder, 11.2% agoraphobia, 6.5% bipolar disorder). Fifty-four (50.4%) of the patients had suicidal thoughts in any period of their lives. Patients with psychiatric comorbidity had a higher ASAQ score, WHODAS-2 loss of functionality score, and suicidal ideation rate than those who were not (p <0.001 for each). Discussion: Suicidal ideation, ASAQ score, and loss of functionality rates increase in patients with ASAD in the presence of comorbid psychiatric disorders. Future stdies in larger samples and evaluating more than one additional psychiatric disorder will be helpful to support our study results.