Separation Anxiety

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Social and Separation Anxiety in Preschool Children In addition to developmental disorders, professionals in psychiatry and psychology have noted that many adult mental disorders can be see in children and adolescents. For example, a variety of anxiety disorders have been identified even in very young children. Among the most common are separation anxiety, in which children become distressed when caregivers leave, and social anxiety, when children experience anxiety symptoms around new people or situations. The number of young children taking anxiety-reducing medications has increased dramatically in the 21st century. According to a study published in 2013 (Franz et al.) which measure prevalence and comorbidity in a large sample (n=917) of …show more content…
Preschoolers often have intense crying spells, tantrums, defiance, headaches, stomachaches, and dizziness, and may express fear that something will happen to them or their caregivers when they are separated. Another symptom of separation anxiety is nightmares about being lost or hurt. Symptoms of social anxiety include excessive self-consciousness and fear of humiliation, shyness, crying or throwing tantrums when faced with a social situation, and physical symptoms such as shortness of breath, pounding heartbeat, sweating, and shaking (similar to physical symptoms of panic) (Mian et al., …show more content…
Twin studies, while they have not found specific genes, suggest that the genetic aspects of emotional reactivity and neurobiological arousal form important processes around which anxiety can develop (Rapee et al., 2010). It is believed that these processes support the development of certain personality traits and temperaments that are associated with future anxiety symptoms. For example, high levels of the traits variously named behavioral inhibition, social withdrawal, inhibition, and shyness, place young children at greater risk for internalized stress and subsequent anxiety disorders. Environmental factors are also important, especially when considered as temperament-environment interactions. For instance, inhibited behavior by the child can produce overprotective and controlling behavior related to parental anxiety, which further induces the child’s inhibition (Clauss & Blackford, 2012). Based on these observations, Rapee and colleagues (2010) developed a six-session group intervention for parents of children with inhibited preschool-age children. The sessions included parenting instruction, cognitive intervention, and exposure therapy. They found that, although the brief intervention did not alter children’s temperaments – they still display inhibited behavior – it did result in a lower incidence of anxiety disorders and less anxiety symptoms (Rapee et al.,
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