Anxiety Disorders

Introduction to Anxiety Disorders

  • Developmental Psychopathology is crucial for understanding anxiety disorders in early childhood.

  • Prof. Dr. Julian Schmitz is a key figure in this domain, affiliated with the Department for Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology.

Understanding Fear

  • Questions addressed include: Why do humans have fear?

  • Initial exploration of psychological principles surrounding fear and anxiety triggers.

Defining Anxiety

  • What is Anxiety?

    • A mood state characterized by strong negative emotions and physical tension.

    • Associated with apprehensive anticipation of future dangers (Barlow, 2002).

    • Notable response known as the fight/flight response aimed at confronting or avoiding perceived threats.

Components of Anxiety

  • Anxiety encompasses multiple systems:

    • Physical: Increased blood pressure, muscle tension, heart rate, stress hormones.

    • Cognitive: Heightened attention to perceived dangers and cognitive coping strategies.

    • Behavioral: Engaging in fighting or escaping behaviors.

Developmental Normal Fears

  1. Early Infancy (0 - 6 months): Fear of loud noises.

  2. Infancy (6 - 12 months): Fear of strangers.

  3. Toddlerhood (1.5 - 5 years): Fear of separation from parents.

  4. Primary School age (5 - 7 years): Fears of specific objects.

  5. Adolescence (12 - 18 years): Fear of social rejection.

Anxiety Disorders Categorized by DSM-V

  • Common anxiety disorders include:

    • Specific Phobia

    • Separation Anxiety Disorder

    • Social Anxiety Disorder

    • Selective Mutism

    • Panic Disorder

    • Generalized Anxiety Disorder

    • Agoraphobia

Specific Phobia

  • Criteria:

    • Marked fear/anxiety about specific objects/situations (e.g., heights, animals).

    • The fear provokes immediate fear or anxiety and is intensely avoided.

    • The fear is disproportionate to the actual danger posed and persists for 6 months or more, causing significant distress or impairment.

Epidemiology of Specific Phobia

  • Approximately 20% of children experience specific phobias.

  • Often comorbid with other anxiety disorders and depressive disorders.

  • Onset generally between ages 7-9, peaking at 10-13.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

  • Criteria:

    • Fear/anxiety in social situations where individuals may be scrutinized.

    • Expressed through behaviors such as crying, tantrums, or clinging in children.

  • High prevalence with comorbidity (around 70% with other disorders).

Selective Mutism

  • Children fail to speak in certain social situations despite speaking in other settings.

  • Occurs in about 0.7% of children, without significant variation by sex or race.

Separation Anxiety Disorder

  • Excessive fear concerning separation from attachment figures.

    • Criteria include distress during separation, worry about losing major attachments, and physical symptoms of distress.

  • Commonly misunderstood; onset can begin as early as 7 years of age.

Etiology of Anxiety Disorders

  • Multiple factors contributing to anxiety disorders in children:

    • Learning experiences, cognitive distortions, attentional biases, family interactions, and genetic influences.

Child-Caregiver Interactions and Social Anxiety

  • Parental behavior, especially from fathers, can buffer against child anxiety development.

  • Challenging parenting may help mitigate social anxiety in children.

Attentional Biases

  • Exploration of how children with anxiety may perceive social cues differently, showing heightened attention to negative stimuli.

Temperament in Early Childhood

  • Behavioral inhibition (BI) is a predictor of social anxiety disorder in children.

  • BI is marked by fearfulness or reticence in unfamiliar settings.

Impact of Parenting on Anxiety

  • Studies suggest that parenting plays a critical role in anxiety development, with various parenting styles influencing outcomes.

Conclusion

  • Understanding anxiety disorders among children through a developmental psychopathology lens is essential for effective diagnosis and intervention.

References

  • Mash, E. & Wolfe, D. (2014). Abnormal Child Psychology. Cengage Learning: Boston.