OBJECTIVE: Anxiety may interfere with school-age children's independent behaviour and hence, their daily living skills (DLS). Nonetheless, this has not been tested in previous studies of children with clinical anxiety. METHOD: This study compared two groups of age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched children with and without anxiety disorders (N = 60), testing the association of anxiety disorders with a lack of independence in DLS. RESULTS: Anxiety disorders are significantly associated with less mastery of DLS. Age moderated this effect for children with anxiety disorders; older children were more negatively impacted by anxiety disorders than younger children. CONCLUSIONS: Anxiety disorders may negatively impact children's independence in DLS. As children transition from mid- to late childhood - a period normally marked by increasing independence - this effect may grow in magnitude.
OBJECTIVE:Anxiety may interfere with school-age children's independent behaviour and hence, their daily living skills (DLS). Nonetheless, this has not been tested in previous studies of children with clinical anxiety. METHOD: This study compared two groups of age-, gender-, and ethnicity-matched children with and without anxiety disorders (N = 60), testing the association of anxiety disorders with a lack of independence in DLS. RESULTS:Anxiety disorders are significantly associated with less mastery of DLS. Age moderated this effect for children with anxiety disorders; older children were more negatively impacted by anxiety disorders than younger children. CONCLUSIONS:Anxiety disorders may negatively impact children's independence in DLS. As children transition from mid- to late childhood - a period normally marked by increasing independence - this effect may grow in magnitude.
Authors: Denis G Sukhodolsky; Maria C do Rosario-Campos; Lawrence Scahill; Lily Katsovich; David L Pauls; Bradley S Peterson; Robert A King; Paul J Lombroso; Diane B Findley; James F Leckman Journal: Am J Psychiatry Date: 2005-06 Impact factor: 18.112