Anxiety and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: developmental issues and implications for DSM-V.

Abstract in brief

• The text reviews research on anxiety disorders in children and teens, including types like separation anxiety, phobias, panic, and generalized anxiety, focusing on how common they are, what causes them, and how they are diagnosed and treated.
• Childhood and adolescence are key periods when anxiety symptoms can develop, from mild to severe, making early detection and understanding of risk factors crucial for better outcomes.
• The main challenge is developing assessment methods that are sensitive to age-specific developmental changes, and using studies that track individuals over time to better predict and prevent anxiety disorders early on.