A taxometric investigation of agoraphobia in a clinical and a community sample

The nosological status of agoraphobia is controversial. Agoraphobia may be a distinct diagnostic entity or a marker of avoidance severity. The current study examines the latent structure of agoraphobia through the use of taxometric analysis. The latent structure of agoraphobia was examined in two independent samples, one comprising outpatients presenting for treatment for panic disorder (PD) with or without agoraphobia (n = 365), and the other comprising community volunteers to a national mental health survey who experienced fear or avoidance of at least one prototypic agoraphobic situation (n = 640). Two taxometric procedures were carried out – maximum eigenvalue (MAXEIG) and mean above minus below a cut (MAMBAC) – using indicators derived from questionnaire measures of, and structured diagnostic interviews for, agoraphobia. Results show consistent evidence of dimensional latent structure in both samples. It is concluded that scores on measures of agoraphobia best represent an agoraphobic severity dimension.