<abstract xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml"><sec id="j_sjcapp-2016-010_s_001"><h3>Background</h3><p>Reports of anxiety disorder characteristics among youth in clinical settings typically include descriptions of patients who have been specifically referred for anxiety treatment. At odds with a large body of evidence which demonstrates these disorders to be most common among young people, prevalence studies in samples referred to general psychiatry for multiple causes are scarce and report highly discrepant estimates.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2016-010_s_002"><h3>Methods</h3><p>For this study and regardless of their presenting symptoms, 125 adolescents (57.6% girls) between the ages of 12 and 18 years who were consecutively referred to two child and adolescent general psychiatry clinics in Sweden were assessed for anxiety disorders and comorbidity using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children. Self-ratings of anxiety symptoms and difficulties with family, school, friends, sleep, and body aches were also obtained.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2016-010_s_003"><h3>Results</h3><p>At least one anxiety disorder was found in 46% of participants. Among anxious adolescents, homotypic comorbidity (concurrent anxiety) was observed in 43%, and heterotypic comorbidity (concurrent non-anxiety psychiatric disorders) was observed in 91%. No comorbidity was observed in 5%. Trauma, ache, and difficulties making friends were more common among anxious adolescents as compared with psychiatrically referred adolescents without anxiety.</p></sec><sec id="j_sjcapp-2016-010_s_004"><h3>Conclusions</h3><p>The finding that only 21% of adolescents diagnosed with anxiety disorders were referred for anxiety further supports the routine use of standardized and structured instruments—irrespective of referral cause—to improve both precision and detection rates in the clinical setting. Comprehensive assessments are of utmost importance to fully address the complexity of the symptoms in this patient group.</p></sec></abstract>

BackgroundReports of anxiety disorder characteristics among youth in clinical settings typically include descriptions of patients who have been specifically referred for anxiety treatment. At odds with a large body of evidence which demonstrates these disorders to be most common among young people, prevalence studies in samples referred to general psychiatry for multiple causes are scarce and report highly discrepant estimates.MethodsFor this study and regardless of their presenting symptoms, 125 adolescents (57.6% girls) between the ages of 12 and 18 years who were consecutively referred to two child and adolescent general psychiatry clinics in Sweden were assessed for anxiety disorders and comorbidity using the Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children. Self-ratings of anxiety symptoms and difficulties with family, school, friends, sleep, and body aches were also obtained.ResultsAt least one anxiety disorder was found in 46% of participants. Among anxious adolescents, homotypic comorbidity (concurrent anxiety) was observed in 43%, and heterotypic comorbidity (concurrent non-anxiety psychiatric disorders) was observed in 91%. No comorbidity was observed in 5%. Trauma, ache, and difficulties making friends were more common among anxious adolescents as compared with psychiatrically referred adolescents without anxiety.ConclusionsThe finding that only 21% of adolescents diagnosed with anxiety disorders were referred for anxiety further supports the routine use of standardized and structured instruments—irrespective of referral cause—to improve both precision and detection rates in the clinical setting. Comprehensive assessments are of utmost importance to fully address the complexity of the symptoms in this patient group.

Anxiety Disorders among Adolescents referred to General Psychiatry for Multiple Causes: Clinical Presentation, Prevalence, and Comorbidity

Scandinavian Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Psychology

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

BackgroundReports of anxiety disorder characteristics among youth in clinical settings typically include descriptions of patients who have been specifically...

Anxiety Disorders among Adolescents referred to General Psychiatry for Multiple Causes: Clinical Presentation, Prevalence, and Comorbidity

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Nov 30, 2015

Page range: 55 - 64

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2016-010

Keywords
anxiety disorders, adolescents, prevalence, comorbidity, general psychiatry

© 2016 Susanne Olofsdotter et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Anxiety Disorders among Adolescents referred to General Psychiatry for Multiple Causes: Clinical Presentation, Prevalence, and Comorbidity

Article Category: research-article

Published Online: Nov 30, 2015

Page range: 55 - 64

DOI: https://doi.org/10.21307/sjcapp-2016-010

Keywordsanxiety disorders, adolescents, prevalence, comorbidity, general psychiatry

© 2016 Susanne Olofsdotter et al., published by Sciendo

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Keywords
anxiety disorders, adolescents, prevalence, comorbidity, general psychiatry