One exception to the consistency of NCS-A results with previous factor analyses is that separation anxiety disorder (SAD) loaded with distress disorders in the NCS-A but with fear disorders some previous studies (Lahey et al., 2004). It is unclear why this occurred, but it is noteworthy that the loading of SAD on the distress factor was the weakest among all distress disorders and that SAD had the largest cross-loading with the fear factor of any distress disorder.
