Separation anxiety disorder

Abstract

Separation Anxiety Disorder (SepAD) is one of the earliest and most common anxiety disorders in children. The most commonly reported symptoms tend to be separation-related distress, avoidance of being alone or without an adult caretaker, and sleeping away from caregivers or from home. Early vulnerability risk factors include behavioral inhibition and attachment, and patterns of cognition developed within the family context. SepAD is associated with later development of panic disorder, and is highly comorbid with other anxiety disorders, and certain externalizing disorders. Diagnosis can be made via standard diagnostic interview. Disorder-specific rating scales provide a simple and quick way to screen measure change in symptoms. The disorder-specific TAFF program has been validated in two randomized controlled trials.