TY - JOUR
T1 - The family history method
T2 - Whose psychiatric history is measured?
AU - Kendler, K. S.
AU - Silberg, J. L.
AU - Neale, M. C.
AU - Kessler, R. C.
AU - Heath, A. C.
AU - Eaves, L. J.
PY - 1991
Y1 - 1991
N2 - Objective: The family history method, in which an informant is asked about the history of psychiatric illness in relatives, is widely used in psychiatric research. Previous research has examined the influence on family history information of characteristics of the relative. In this report, the authors seek to clarify the impact on family history reporting of the psychiatric history of the informant. Method: Both members of female twin pairs from a population-based twin registry were asked about the history of major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcoholism in their mother and father. The authors examined twin pairs discordant for each of the three diagnoses and predicted that the affected twin would report higher rates of the same disorder in her parent than would the unaffected twin. Results: Twins with a history of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder but not twins with alcoholism were significantly more likely to report the same disorder in their parents than were their unaffected co-twins. Conclusions: For major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, a family history diagnosis appears to reflect the psychiatric history of both the relative and the informant. Caution may be needed in the interpretation of results based on the family history method, although the magnitude of this problem may be attenuated by the use of multiple informants.
AB - Objective: The family history method, in which an informant is asked about the history of psychiatric illness in relatives, is widely used in psychiatric research. Previous research has examined the influence on family history information of characteristics of the relative. In this report, the authors seek to clarify the impact on family history reporting of the psychiatric history of the informant. Method: Both members of female twin pairs from a population-based twin registry were asked about the history of major depression, generalized anxiety disorder, and alcoholism in their mother and father. The authors examined twin pairs discordant for each of the three diagnoses and predicted that the affected twin would report higher rates of the same disorder in her parent than would the unaffected twin. Results: Twins with a history of major depression or generalized anxiety disorder but not twins with alcoholism were significantly more likely to report the same disorder in their parents than were their unaffected co-twins. Conclusions: For major depression and generalized anxiety disorder, a family history diagnosis appears to reflect the psychiatric history of both the relative and the informant. Caution may be needed in the interpretation of results based on the family history method, although the magnitude of this problem may be attenuated by the use of multiple informants.
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=0026006241&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1176/ajp.148.11.1501
DO - 10.1176/ajp.148.11.1501
M3 - Article
C2 - 1928463
AN - SCOPUS:0026006241
VL - 148
SP - 1501
EP - 1504
JO - American Journal of Psychiatry
JF - American Journal of Psychiatry
SN - 0002-953X
IS - 11
ER -