Overanxious disorder: Subsyndromal state or specific disorder? A comparison of clinic and community samples

Examined whether overanxious disorder (OAD) is a subsyndromal state or a specific anxiety disorder. To date, the few studies examining this issue have used community-based rather than clinic-referred samples. In this investigation, children meeting criteria established in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (3rd., rev.;American Psychiatric Association, 1987) for OAD who were clinic referred were compared on several dimensions to nonreferred volunteers. There were few differences between the two OAD samples, and when differences did occur, they represented ancillary rather than primary aspects of the disorder. These results support previous research suggesting that, as currently defined, OAD represents a subsyndromal state. The results are discussed in terms of the current diagnostic criteria and changes that may make the diagnosis of OAD more meaningful.