Childhood Anxiety Disorders [Paperback]

Anxiety disorders, which typically emerge during childhood or adolescence, are among the most prevalent psychiatric conditions, affecting as many as 20% of youth (Cartwright-Hatton, McNicol, & Doubleday, 2006; Costello & Angold, 1995). As such, anyone who works with children, including mental health practitioners, medical professionals, and school personnel, is likely to encounter an anxiety disorder. Recognizing the signs and symptoms, accurately diagnosing, and providing timely and effective intervention are imperative because untreated anxiety disorders may alter the developmental trajectory of the child and result in comorbid depression, substance abuse disorders, increased suicide risk, academic and occupational underachievement, and social difficulties (Strauss, Frame, & Forehand, 1987; Swadi & Bobier, 2003). Fortunately, effective treatments for pediatric anxiety disorders have been established, with Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and/or medication garnering the most empirical support (Ollendick, King, & Chorpita, 2006; Walkup et al., 2008). In recent years, CBT has become more widely known and accepted as a leading treatment modality, but there remains a discrepancy between what the evidence base shows practitioners should do and what they actually are doing. The goal of the Childhood Anxiety Disorders is to bridge that gap by providing a practical how to guide and synthesizing research, treatment manuals, and the authors combined decades of practical experience into an easy-to-read, one-stop shop for clinicians and educators, trainees/students, and parents/caregivers interested in understanding and helping anxious youth. An overview of the available literature will set the stage for an in-depth yet concise coverage of the treatment of childhood anxiety disorders including clear explanations of the theoretical underpinnings of CBT with concrete and practical intervention techniques and activities, illustrated by case examples. This book will outline the lƒ?