Epidemiological researchers analyzed survey data from 9,500 adults using structured diagnostic interviews. They report that 47% of respondents who met criteria for major depressive disorder also met criteria for at least one anxiety disorder within the same 12-month period—a rate substantially higher than chance.
A high comorbidity rate between depression and anxiety in DSM-based studies most directly raises which concern about classification?
- A
Survey respondents are intentionally exaggerating symptoms.
- B
Comorbidity proves both diagnoses are invalid.
- C
DSM diagnoses have no clinical utility.
- Dcheck_circle
The categories may share underlying transdiagnostic processes rather than being fully distinct disorders.
Explanation
High comorbidity supports the view that anxiety and depression share transdiagnostic features (e.g., negative affectivity), challenging strict categorical boundaries. The data do not imply intentional exaggeration, total lack of utility, or invalidity.