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Anxiety
By Holly Trask
Clinical Psychology PSX_002
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What is Anxiety?
òDefined by American Psychological Association:
òAnxiety is an emotion characterized by feelings of tension, worried thoughts and physical changes
like increased blood pressure (Anxiety, n.d.).
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Symptoms
òWhat are some of the general symptoms of Anxiety?
òFeelings of panic, fear, and uneasiness.
òProblems sleeping.
òCold or sweaty hands and/or feet.
òShortness of breath.
òHeart palpitations.
òAn inability to be still and calm.
òDry mouth
ò(“Anxiety Disorders…”, n.d.)
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Anxiety in Children
òAnxiety is a normal part of childhood
òExample: Seeing a scary movie, being able to be comforted. This anxiety is temporary
òAn anxiety disorder is not a normal part of childhood
ò(Children and Teens, n.d.)
ò“Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent psychiatric disorders experienced by children”
(Affrunti & Woodruff-Borden, 2015)
ò
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Childhood Anxiety Disorders
òGeneralized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
òObsessive-Compulsion Disorder (OCD)
òPanic Disorder
òSeparation Anxiety Disorder
òSocial Anxiety Disorder
òSelective Mutism
òPosttraumatic Stress Disorder
òSpecific Phobias
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Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
ò“excessive worry about a variety of topics” (Carroll, 2014)
òWhen a child has GAD they:
òTend to worry about many things
òVery hard on themselves
òMay seek constant approval or reassurance from others
òStrive for perfection
ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.)
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Symptoms
òExcessive worry
òrestlessness
ò fatigue
òdifficulty concentrating
òirritability
òmuscle tension
ò sleep disturbance
ò(Davis, 2013, p. 425)
ò
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Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
òCharacterized by unwanted and intrusive thoughts (which are obsessions)
òFeeling compelled to constantly repeat ritual or routines to try and ease the anxiety (which are
compulsions)
òMost children are diagnosed by age 10
ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.)
ò
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Common Obsessions
òFear of dirt and germs and other contaminations
òViolation of religious or moral rules
òHarm to self or others
òGuilt, self-doubt
òAggressive thoughts
òBody concerns
ò(Davis, 2013, p.422)
ò
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Common Compulsions
òWashing or cleaning
òCounting, checking, arranging possessions
òPraying, confessing,
òSeeking reassurance
ò(Davis, 2013, p. 422)
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Panic Disorder
òUsually diagnosed when a child has two or more unexpected panic or anxiety attacks
òMeaning that they came suddenly and for no reason
ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.)
ò
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Symptoms
òGeneral symptoms:
òshortness of breath
òchest pain
òfear of losing control or “going crazy”
òFor children most common are:
òheart palpitations
òchest pain
ò nausea
ò(Davis, 2013, p. 419-420)
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Separation Anxiety Disorder
ò“When separation anxiety disorder occurs, a child experiences excessive anxiety away from home or
when separated from parents or caregivers” (“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.)
òIt is more common with ages seven to nine
ò
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Symptoms
òMay develop extreme homesickness even during brief separation
ò Difficulty at bedtime
ò Often a fear of a disaster befalling the primary attachment figure in their absence.
ò(Davis, 2013, p. 425)
ò
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Social Anxiety Disorder
òintense fear of social and performance situations and activities
òLike:
òBeing called on in class
òStarting an conversation with a peer
òSocial anxiety can effect a child’s school performance
òVideo: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sa8zUrMRDzU
ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.)
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Selective Mutism
òWhat is it?
òWhen a child refuses to speak to talk in certain situations
òA child can have normal behavior and talk at home or in comfortable situations, which surprise’s
parents when teacher report that they refuse to speak at school
ò(“Childhood Anxiety Disorders”, n.d.)
ò
ò
ò
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Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
òFor a child or adolescent to be diagnosed with PTSD, the even must be
ò “traumatic enough to produce feelings of extreme fear, helplessness, or horror (or in children,
developmentally atypical disorganized or agitated behavior)” (Davis, 2013, p.423)
ò
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Symptoms
òOther symptoms of PTSD include:
òintrusive thoughts or nightmares,
òavoidance of trauma-related stimuli or memories,
òincreased psychological arousal not present before the trauma
òThese symptoms must be present for more than 1 month
ò
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Specific Phobias
òA specific Phobia is “marked, persistent, unusual, or excessive fear of a specific object or
situation” (Davis, 2014, p.420)
òIt is important to note that some fear in children is normal during their development
ò(Davis, 2014)
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Specific Phobias
òPossible subtypes of phobias:
òanimal type
ònatural environment type (i.e., storms or heights)
òblood-injection-injury type
ò situation type (i.e., tunnels, elevators, flying)
òor other type (which could include fear of sickness or a child’s fear of costumed characters
ò(Davis, 2013, p. 420)
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Specific Phobias
òUsually develops in later childhood
òTo be diagnosed, a child under 18 must present symptoms for at least 6 months because some
irrational fears in children are common
òMost common in children are animal and natural environment
ò(Davis, 2013, p.420-421)
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Symptoms
òCrying
ò Tantrums
ò Freezing in place
ò Clinging to a familiar adult
òavoidance, headaches, and stomachaches
òChildren may also not see that their fear is unreasonable
ò
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Video
òhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aVvTEzvAtHo
ò
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Treatments
òJust like another medical condition, Anxiety disorders need to be treated
òThere is no one “best” treatment that works for every child
òMost common used it Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
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Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
òWhat is CBT?
òCBT “is a type of talk therapy that has been scientifically shown to be effective in treating
anxiety disorders”(“Treatment”, n.d.)
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Other forms of Therapy
òThere are also other forms of therapy used to help treat anxiety disorders
òAcceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
òDialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
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Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT)
ò“uses strategies of acceptance and mindfulness
ò(living in the moment and experiencing things without judgment) as a way to cope with unwanted
thoughts, feelings, and sensations” (“Treatment”, n.d.)
ò
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Dialectical behavioral therapy (DBT)
ò“emphasizes taking responsibility for one’s problems and helps children examine how they deal with
conflict and intense negative emotions” (“Treatment”, n.d.)
ò
ò
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Medication
òMedication can be useful in treating anxiety disorders
òIn fact “a major research study found that a combination of CBT and an antidepressant worked
better for children ages 7-17 than either treatment alone” (“Treatment”, n.d.)
òCan be short-term or long term depending on the how severe
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Medication cont.
òSelective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) are the medications most commonly used in
childhood and adult anxiety treatment
òsome SSRIs for the treatment of pediatric obsessive-compulsive disorder have been approved by The
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
òHowever there are some medicine such as tricyclic antidepressants and benzodiazepines, that are
less commonly used to treat children
ò (“Treatment”, n.d.)
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Managing Anxiety
(in general)
òExercising
òGood nutrition
òAdequate amount of sleep
òStress reduction
òLimit alcohol and caffeine consumption
òLearn what triggers anxiety
òTalk to someone
ò
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Questions?
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Extra video
òhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VbxjsO9IYI
ò
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References
òAffrunti, N., & Woodruff-Borden, J. (2015). The Associations of Executive Function and Temperament
in a Model of Risk for Childhood Anxiety. Journal Of Child & Family Studies, 24(3), 715-724.
doi:10.1007/s10826-013-9881-4
ò"Anxiety." Http://www.apa.org. Web. .
ò"Anxiety Disorders: Types, Causes, Symptoms, Diagnosis, Treatment, and Prevention." WebMD. WebMD.
Web. .
òCarroll, C. M. (2014). Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD). Salem Press Encyclopedia Of Health,
ò"Childhood Anxiety Disorders." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web.
.
ò
ò
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References
ò"Children and Teens." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web.
.
òDavis, A. S. (2013). Psychopathology of Childhood and Adolescence : A Neuropsychological Approach.
New York: Springer Pub. Co.
ò"Tips to Manage Anxiety and Stress." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web.
.
ò"Treatment." Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA. Web.
.
ò