Temperament and anxiety disorders.

Recently, multidisciplinary research teams have come together to assess the emergence, course, and treatment of anxiety disorders in young children and adolescents. A number of researchers have suggested that early temperament traits may play a significant role in the causes and maintenance of early anxiety. This article reviews the current understanding of temperament and anxiety as separate constructs and then attempts to examine the developmental links between the two constructs. The authors examine the outstanding issues that must be addressed before the benefits of bridging these traditionally independent fields of study can be fully exploited.