Lecture 7 – Anxiety Disorders Anxiety Symptoms of ... - Psychology

Generalized Anxiety Disorder• Chronic or exaggerated worry with an almostconstant anticipation of disaster withoutprovocation.• Often accompanied by physical symptoms.• Apprehensive Expectation - worry when there isno cause or even if contradictory evidence exists.• Highly prevalent, 3% to 14% of all children.• Often co-morbid with other anxiety disorders anddepression.• Age of Onset about 10 to 14 yearsSpecific Phobias• Extreme, disabling fear of specific objects orsituations that pose little or no danger• Often leads to avoidance or disrupted routines• Child may not realize the fear is extreme andunreasonable• 5 DSM-IV subtypes: animal, natural environment,blood-injection-injury, situational, “other”• 2-4% of children• Peak onset between ages 10 and 13Social Phobias• Marked, persistent fear of being the focusof attention, or doing somethinghumiliating• Children with social phobias more likelyto be highly emotional, socially fearfuland inhibited, sad, and lonely• 1-3% of children, slightly more girls• Age of onset often early to midadolescence(with exaggerated self-focus)• Selective mutism may be a form of socialphobiaObsessive-Compulsive Disorder• Obsessions - persistent and intrusive thoughts.• Compulsions - repetitive, purposeful behaviours,intended to neutralize or reduce anxiety.• Most common obsessions: germs andcontamination; fears of harm to self or others;concerns with symmetry; moralization.• Prevalence: about 2-3% of all children, morecommon in young boys than girls.• Highly co-morbid with other anxiety disorders,depression, and disruptive behaviour disorders.