Abstract

VIANNA, Renata Ribeiro Alves Barboza; CAMPOS, Angela Alfano  and  LANDEIRA-FERNANDEZ, Jesus. Anxiety disorders in childhood abd adolescence: a review. Rev. bras.ter. cogn. [online]. 2009, vol.5, n.1, pp. 46-61. ISSN 1808-5687.

Anxiety disorders in youth are recognized as pathological entities with relevant prevalence in recent epidemiological studies. Anxiety disorders can cause clinical manifestations that result in several problems to the individual’s quality of life. When present since youth, they increase the possibility of progressive severity during life time. This study presents a review on separation anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder and social anxiety disorder in childhood and adolescence - focusing on the following aspects: history, diagnostic criteria, clinical expression, epidemiology, comorbities and prognosis. We searched MEDLINE and SciELO papers published in English and Portuguese from 1973 to 2008. The following keywords were used: pediatric anxiety disorders, anxiety in childhood, and anxiety in adolescence. An updated and historically contextualized comprehension of these disorders points out to the possibility of a continuum of anxiety symptoms in childhood and adolescence to adulthood. The correct recognition and proper care and treatment, are fundamental directions for health professionals

Keywords : Anxiety disorders; Childhood; Adolescence.

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