Depressive comorbidity in preschool anxiety disorder. (14th March 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: von Klitzing, Kai; White, Lars O.; Otto, Yvonne; Fuchs, Sandra; Egger, Helen L.; Klein, Annette M.
• Is Part Of: Journal of child psychology and psychiatry and allied disciplines. Volume 55:Number 10(2014:Oct.)
• Page Start: 1107
• Page End: 1116
• Publication Date: 2014-03-14
• Subjects: Child psychology -- Periodicals; Child psychiatry -- Periodicals; 155.4
• DOI: 10.1111/jcpp.12222
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0021-9630

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" id="jcpp12222-abs-0001"> <title> <x xml:space="preserve">Abstract</x> </title> <sec id="jcpp12222-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>The threshold for clinical relevance of preschool anxiety has recently come under increasing scrutiny in view of large variations in prevalence estimates. We studied the impact of presence/absence of additional depressive comorbidity (symptoms and/or diagnosis) on preschoolers with anxiety disorders in relation to clinical phenomenology, family, and peer problems compared to healthy controls.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12222-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Method</title> <p>A population of 1738 preschoolers were screened and oversampled for internalizing symptoms from community sites, yielding a sample of 236 children.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12222-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>Using a multi‐informant approach (mother, father, teacher, child), we found evidence that children with anxiety disorders and depressive comorbidity display a greater internalizing symptom‐load, more peer problems and live in families with more psychosocial impairment (poor family functioning, family adversity, maternal mental health problems). The pure anxiety group was merely dissociable from controls with regard to internalizing symptoms and family adversity.</p> </sec> <sec id="jcpp12222-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>The presence of depressive comorbidity in anxiety disorders may mark the transition to a more detrimental and impairing disorder at preschool age.</p> </sec> </abstract>