Anxiety and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders in Youth

Prevalence of anxiety

Characterizes how common anxiety is in the population.

Three aspects of anxiety

List the components that make up anxiety.

Three interrelated response systems of anxiety

Identify the systems that respond to anxiety.

Present-focused or future-focused emotion

Describes whether anxiety relates to current or upcoming events.

Separation anxiety disorder

Defines the condition characterized by excessive fear or anxiety about separation from attachment figures.

Common youth disorder

States whether separation anxiety disorder is prevalent among young people.

School refusal behavior in SAD

Defines the behavior of avoiding school due to separation anxiety disorder.

Specific phobia

Describes an intense, irrational fear of a specific object or situation.

Most common specific phobia in children

Identifies the specific phobia that occurs most frequently in children.

Five subtypes of DSM-5-TR that categorize specific phobias

Names the categories used in the DSM-5-TR for specific phobias.

Age range that specific phobias peak in youth

States the age when specific phobias are most prevalent among young individuals.

Greatest fear for a child with social anxiety disorder

States what children with social anxiety disorder fear the most.

Lifetime prevalence of social anxiety disorder

Identifies how common social anxiety disorder is over a person's lifetime.

When social anxiety disorder generally develops

Describes the typical onset period for social anxiety disorder.

Selective mutism

Defines the condition where a child is unable to speak in certain social situations despite speaking in other settings.

Prevalence for selective mutism

Describes how common selective mutism is among children.

Common co-occurring disorders with selective mutism

States the disorders that frequently occur alongside selective mutism.

Panic attack

Defines a sudden episode of intense fear or anxiety that triggers severe physical reactions.

Panic disorder

Identifies the condition characterized by recurrent and unexpected panic attacks.

Agoraphobia

Describes the fear of situations where escape might be difficult or help unavailable.

OCD

Defines obsessive-compulsive disorder, characterized by unwanted repetitive thoughts and behaviors.

Most common obsessions in children with OCD

Describes the types of obsessions that are most frequently seen in children with OCD.

Specific areas of cognitive functioning deficits for children with an anxiety disorder

Lists the cognitive functions that may be impaired in children suffering from anxiety disorders.

Anxious vigilance

Defines the state of being overly alert and watchful due to anxiety.

Gender difference in anxiety and youth

States how anxiety levels differ between genders in young people.

How ethnicity and culture affect anxiety in youth

Describes the impact of cultural and ethnic backgrounds on anxiety experiences in youth.

One early theory on anxiety

Describes at least one historical perspective on the understanding of anxiety.

Overall conclusion of family and twin studies and biological vulnerability of anxiety disorders

States the findings regarding genetic and environmental influences on anxiety disorders.

Three family factors associated with anxiety in youth

Lists familial influences that may contribute to anxiety in children.

Primary treatment intervention for anxiety in youth

States the main therapeutic approach used to treat anxiety in young individuals.

Cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) for anxiety

Describes the therapeutic method that combines cognitive and behavioral techniques to treat anxiety.

Role of medications such as SSRIs in treating anxiety in youth

Identifies how selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors are used in the treatment of anxiety disorders in children.

Anxiety

Characterized by strong negative emotion and bodily symptoms of tension in anticipation of future danger or misfortune.

Anxiety disorders

Involve experiencing excessive and debilitating anxieties and occur in many forms.

Fight/flight response

Immediate reaction to perceived danger or threat aimed at escaping potential harm.

Physical system

The brain sends messages to the sympathetic nervous system, initiating the fight/flight response.

Cognitive system

Activation leads to feelings of apprehension, nervousness, difficulty concentrating, and panic.

Behavioral system

Aggression is coupled with a desire to escape the threatening situation.

Anxiety (future-oriented)

A mood state that may occur in absence of realistic danger.

Fear (present-oriented)

An emotional reaction that occurs in the face of a current danger and is marked by a strong escape tendency.

Panic

A group of physical symptoms of the fight/flight response that unexpectedly occurs in the absence of obvious danger.

Normal fears

Fears that are considered normal at one age can be debilitating a few years later.

Normal anxieties

Common during childhood and adolescence; moderate worry can help children prepare for the future.

Normal rituals

Routines that help children gain control and mastery of their environment.

Separation anxiety disorder (SAD)

One of the seven categories of anxiety disorders according to DSM-5-TR.

Specific phobia

One of the seven categories of anxiety disorders according to DSM-5-TR.

Social anxiety disorder

One of the seven categories of anxiety disorders according to DSM-5-TR.

Selective mutism

One of the seven categories of anxiety disorders according to DSM-5-TR.

Panic disorder (PD)

One of the seven categories of anxiety disorders according to DSM-5-TR.

Agoraphobia

One of the seven categories of anxiety disorders according to DSM-5-TR.

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD)

One of the seven categories of anxiety disorders according to DSM-5-TR.

Normal rituals and repetitive behavior

Involve doing things just right and may have similar neuropsychological mechanisms to those in OCD.

Moderate anxiety

Helps us think and act more effectively.

Excessive anxiety

Can be debilitating and uncontrollable.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children with SAD display age-inappropriate, excessive, and disabling distress related to separation from and fear of being alone without their parents.

Characteristics of Separation Anxiety Disorder

Separation anxiety is important for a young child's survival; it is normal from about age 7 months through preschool years.

Lack of Separation Anxiety

Lack of separation anxiety at this age may suggest insecure attachment.

Symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder

SAD is distinguished by age-inappropriate, excessive, and disabling anxiety about being apart from parents or away from home.

Long-term Effects of Separation Anxiety Disorder

Children with SAD may become increasingly withdrawn, apathetic, and depressed over time.

Prevalence of Separation Anxiety Disorder

SAD occurs in 4% to 10% of children and is one of the two most common childhood anxiety disorders.

Gender Prevalence of Separation Anxiety Disorder

SAD is more prevalent in girls than in boys.

Comorbidity in Separation Anxiety Disorder

More than two-thirds of children with SAD have another anxiety disorder and about half develop a depressive disorder.

Onset Age of Separation Anxiety Disorder

SAD has the earliest reported age of onset of anxiety disorders (7-8 years of age) and the youngest age at referral.

Progression of Separation Anxiety Disorder

SAD progresses from mild to severe and is associated with major stress.

Persistence of Separation Anxiety Disorder

SAD persists into adulthood for more than one-third of affected children.

Adult Outcomes of Separation Anxiety Disorder

As adults, individuals with SAD are more likely to experience relationship difficulties, other anxiety disorders, and mental health problems.

School Refusal Behavior

School refusal behavior is the refusal to attend classes or difficulty remaining in school for an entire day.

Age Range for School Refusal

School refusal occurs most often in ages 5 to 11.

Causes of School Refusal

Fear of school may be fear of leaving parents (separation anxiety), but can occur for many other reasons.

Consequences of Untreated School Refusal

Serious long-term consequences result if school refusal remains untreated.

Specific Phobia

Specific phobia is characterized by age-inappropriate persistent, irrational, or exaggerated fear that leads to avoidance of the feared object or event.

Duration of Specific Phobia

Specific phobia lasts at least six months.

Nature of Fear in Specific Phobia

Specific phobia involves extreme and disabling fear of objects or situations that in reality pose little or no danger or threat.

Avoidance Behavior in Specific Phobia

A child with specific phobia goes to great lengths to avoid the object/situation.

Expressions of Fear in Specific Phobia

Fear or anxiety in specific phobia may be expressed by crying, tantrums, freezing, or clinging.

Prevalence of Specific Phobia

About 20% of children are affected by specific phobia at some point in their lives.

Gender Prevalence of Specific Phobia

Specific phobia is more common in girls.

Comorbidity in Specific Phobia

Common co-occurring disorders with specific phobia include another anxiety disorder and depressive disorders.

Onset Age of Specific Phobia

Specific phobia typically has an onset at 7 to 9 years.

Persistence of Clinical Phobias

Clinical phobias are more likely than normal fears to persist over time.

Social Anxiety Disorder

A marked, persistent fear of social or performance requirements that expose the child to scrutiny and possible embarrassment.

Social Anxiety Disorder Characteristics

Anxiety over mundane activities.

Social Anxiety Disorder Characteristics

Most common fear is doing something in front of others.

Social Anxiety Disorder Characteristics

More likely than other children to be highly emotional, socially fearful; and inhibited, sad, and lonely.

Social Anxiety Disorder Characteristics

Social anxiety disorder encompasses a variety of social fears.

Social Anxiety Disorder Characteristics

Fear of performance situations.

Social Anxiety Disorder Characteristics

Fear of interaction situations.

Social Anxiety Disorder Prevalence

Lifetime prevalence of 6% to 12% of children.

Social Anxiety Disorder Prevalence

Twice as common in girls.

Social Anxiety Disorder Comorbidity

Two-thirds also have another anxiety disorder.

Social Anxiety Disorder Comorbidity

20% also suffer from major depression and may self-medicate with alcohol and other drugs.

Social Anxiety Disorder Onset

Most common age of onset is early to mid-adolescence, and is rare under age 10.

Selective Mutism

Failure to talk in specific social situations, even though they may speak loudly and frequently at home or other settings.

Selective Mutism Prevalence

Estimated to occur in 0.7% of children.

Selective Mutism Onset

Average age of onset is 3 to 4 years.

Panic Attack

Short period of intense fear or discomfort that is accompanied by symptoms characteristic of the fight/flight response (escape).

Panic Disorder

Recurrent unexpected panic attacks.

Panic Disorder Criteria

At least 1 month of persistent concern or worry about having another attack and its consequences.

Agoraphobia

Marked fear or anxiety in certain places or situations.

Panic Disorder Prevalence

Panic attacks are common (16% of teens).