Objective

We conducted meta-analyses to assess risk for anxiety disorders among offspring of parents with anxiety disorders, and to establish whether there is evidence of specificity of risk for anxiety disorders as opposed to depression in offspring, and whether particular parent anxiety disorders confer risks for particular child anxiety disorders. We also examined whether risk was moderated by offspring age, gender, temperament, and the presence of depressive disorders in parents.

Method

We searched PsycINFO, PubMed, and Web of Science in June, 2016, and July, 2017 (PROSPERO CRD42016048814). Study inclusion criteria were as follows: published in peer-reviewed journals; contained at least one group of parents with anxiety disorders and at least one comparison group of parents who did not have anxiety disorders; reported rates of anxiety disorders in offspring; and used validated diagnostic tools to ascertain diagnoses. We used random and mixed-effects models and evaluated study quality.

Results

We included 25 studies (7,285 offspring). Where parents had an anxiety disorder, offspring were significantly more likely to have anxiety (risk ratio [RR] = 1.76, 95% CI = 1.58−1.96) and depressive disorders (RR = 1.31, 95% CI = 1.13−1.52) than offspring of parents without anxiety disorders. Parent panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder appeared to confer particular risk. Risk was greater for offspring anxiety than for depressive disorders (RR = 2.50, 95% CI = 1.50−4.16), and specifically for offspring generalized anxiety disorder, separation anxiety disorder and specific phobia, but there was no evidence that children of parents with particular anxiety disorders were at increased risk for the same particular anxiety disorders. Moderation analyses were possible only for offspring age, sex, and parental depressive disorder; none were significant.

Conclusion

Parent anxiety disorders pose specific risks of anxiety disorders to offspring. However, there is limited support for transmission of the same particular anxiety disorder. These results support the potential for targeted prevention of anxiety disorders.

中文翻译：

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系统评价和荟萃分析：焦虑症父母后代的焦虑和抑郁症。

客观的

我们进行了荟萃分析，以评估患有焦虑症的父母的后代中患焦虑症的风险，并确定是否有证据表明与后代抑郁症相对的焦虑症风险具有特异性，并且特定的父母焦虑症是否给特定的父母带来风险儿童焦虑症。我们还检查了风险是否由后代年龄，性别，性情和父母中存在的抑郁症减轻。

方法

我们分别于2016年6月和2017年7月搜索了PsycINFO，PubMed和Web of Science（PROSPERO CRD42016048814）。研究纳入标准如下：在同行评审期刊上发表；包含至少一组患有焦虑症的父母和至少一组没有焦虑症的父母；报告的后代焦虑症发生率；并使用经过验证的诊断工具来确定诊断。我们使用随机效应和混合效应模型并评估了研究质量。

结果

我们纳入了25项研究（7,285个后代）。在父母患有焦虑症的地方，后代比后代更容易出现焦虑症（风险比[RR] = 1.76，95％CI = 1.58-1.96）和抑郁症（RR = 1.31，95％CI = 1.13-1.52）没有焦虑症的父母 父母恐慌症和广泛性焦虑症似乎具有特殊的风险。后代焦虑症的患病风险比抑郁症高（RR = 2.50，95％CI = 1.50−4.16），特别是后代广泛性焦虑症，分离性焦虑症和特定的恐惧症，但没有证据表明父母与子女之间的特殊性焦虑症患上同样特定的焦虑症的风险增加。适度分析仅适用于后代的年龄，性别和父母的抑郁症。

结论

父母焦虑症会给后代带来特定的焦虑症风险。但是，对于相同的特定焦虑症的传播，支持有限。这些结果支持了针对性预防焦虑症的潜力。