Childhood anxiety disorders: etiology, assessment, and treatment in the new millennium.

The following article reviews the literature on childhood anxiety disorders published during the past year. Publication trajectories suggest ever increasing empirical focus on the nature, developmental influences, assessment, and treatment of anxiety in children. The past year witnessed significant events on a national level with respect to public policy development. Despite such forward progress, research on childhood anxiety remains disproportionally behind that of the disruptive behavior disorders. With respect to treatment, cognitive-behavioral approaches have demonstrated strong empirical support. Although there is limited data yet available, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors appear to be efficacious in treating anxiety in children.