In a clinical sample of 100 outpatients with panic disorder, 42% had a history of suicide attempt. Female sex and being single, divorced, or widowed were associated with an increased risk of suicide attempt. Thirty-one (73.8%) of the suicide attempts occurred after the first panic attack and 27 (64.3%) after the onset of panic disorder. Eighty-eight of these patients met DSM-III-R criteria for at least one other diagnosis in addition to panic disorder. Moreover, 52% had a history of major depressive episode and 31% had a lifetime diagnosis of alcohol and/or other substance abuse. Compared with those who did not attempt suicide, those who attempted suicide were significantly more likely to have suffered from major depressive episode and alcohol or other substance abuse in their lifetime. Among the 35 patients with no comorbidity with either major depression or addictive behaviors, 17.1% had a history of suicide attempt. All had suffered from depressive symptoms and/or a personality disorder. The same association was found in four of 19 patients suffering from panic disorder only with or without agoraphobia.

The joint-rater and test-retest reliability study of two translated versions of the SADS-LA (Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia--Lifetime version--modified for the study of anxiety disorders), one in French and the other in German, have been tested in family study settings, in a sample of patients and first-degree relatives. The test-retest reliability study demonstrated that identification of major affective disorders and schizophrenia was performed with sufficient reliability; however, diagnoses of subtypes of major disorders (e.g. bipolar II disorder) and identification of minor disorders was less reliable. The implications of these findings in phenotype identification during family studies in psychiatry are discussed.

A new questionnaire is now available in French. A large body of data is currently being gathered in view of comparing occupations and types of firms using this new instrument.

The purpose of this study was to validate the French version of the Copenhagen Psychosocial Questionnaire (COPSOQ). The COPSOQ is used to assess psychosocial risk factors at work. The current French version comprises 46 items grouped in 24 scales and referring to six dimensions. The questionnaire was administered to 3,166 employees of a large French company based in ten cities of the Paris region and the provinces. The psychometric analyses (internal consistency analysis, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis and concurrent validity analysis) were satisfactory and demonstrated the validity of the French version of the COPSOQ. Large amounts of data are currently being collected with a view to making comparisons between occupations and between different types of companies.

SummaryPreliminary results of an epidemiological study in the general population of a small town near Paris are presented. This study investigates the prevalence of depressive and anxiety states and the risk factors associated with these disorders. The study methodology is reported in detail, especially the instruments chosen (some sections of the DIS/CIDI, questionnaires on social support, life events and self-rating questionnaires). Anxiety and depressive disorders are frequent in this population: life-time prevalence of Panic Disorder in men amounted to 2.3% and in women 3.1%, Generalised Anxiety Disorder in men 5.4% and in women 13.4%, Major Depressive Episode in men 8.5% and in women 21.9%. Panic Disorder is assessed with regard to different definitions and criteria (DSM III, DSM III-R). A wide difference in results is found according to the criteria used. Specifically, when anticipatory anxiety is taken into account, this increases the frequency rate of Panic Disorder. A significant comorbidity is found between anxiety and depressive disorders.