scholarly journals Scared but loving it: Children's enjoyment of fear as a diagnostic marker of anxiety?

2008 ◽  
Vol 25 (1) ◽  
pp. 24-31 ◽  
Author(s):  
Linda Gilmore ◽  
Marilyn Campbell
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Diagnostic Marker ◽  
Childhood Anxiety ◽  
Theme Park ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Ghost Stories ◽  
Childhood Disorders ◽  
Co Morbidity ◽  
Initial Identification

AbstractChildhood fears of objects and events such as spiders, monsters and earthquakes are common, universal and sometimes distressing. At the same time, many children seem to enjoy the thrill of scary ghost stories, ghoulish films, and terrifying theme park rides. It is estimated that around 18% of children are excessively fearful. Although anxiety disorders represent the most common psychopathology in childhood, identification can be difficult because of the diagnostic overlap and co-morbidity of anxiety with other childhood disorders. The present study investigated enjoyment of fear as a potential diagnostic marker of childhood anxiety in a sample of 220 children aged 6-12 years and their parents. Many children reportedly enjoyed scary experiences, with boys and older children displaying greater enjoyment. Children whose parents rated them as excessively anxious experienced significantly less enjoyment of fear. The paper considers possible explanations for this finding and concludes that failure to enjoy scary activities may represent a useful diagnostic marker in the initial identification of childhood anxiety.

Recent Advances in Intervention for Early Childhood Anxiety

2012 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 157-172 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah A.J. Anticich ◽  
Paula M. Barrett ◽  
Robyn Gillies ◽  
Wendy Silverman
Keyword(s):  
Early Childhood ◽  
Early Intervention ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Children And Adolescents ◽  
School Context ◽  
Developmentally Appropriate ◽  
Childhood Anxiety ◽  
Empirical Literature ◽  
Older Children ◽  
Developmental Parameters

Anxiety disorders in older children and adolescents have long been acknowledged as impairing, persistent and predictive of future anxiety and mood-related disorders. Until recently, however, anxiety in preschoolers and younger children has been regarded as relatively uncommon and within normal developmental parameters. Increasing evidence is suggestive that symptoms of anxiety in preschoolers parallel those in older children (Hirshfeld-Becker, Micco, Mazirsky, Bruett, & Henin, 2011) with this under-investigated area attracting increasing interest from researchers and clinicians alike. The present review summarises the empirical literature on early intervention and prevention programs for anxiety in young children (aged 3–7 years) with a specific focus on the application of such programs in the school context and implications for guidance counsellors, an improved understanding of which is critical for informing effective intervention. The studies reviewed demonstrate promising outcomes for anxiety; however, there is still a significant amount of work to be done in terms of our understanding of developmentally appropriate, family-focused and child-led models of anxiety and early intervention and prevention protocols.

The co-morbidity of eating disorders and anxiety disorders: a review

2007 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 253-274 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jessica M. Swinbourne ◽  
Stephen W. Touyz
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Co Morbidity

Childhood Anxiety Disorders

2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kelly O’Neil ◽  
Douglas Brodman ◽  
Jeremy Cohen ◽  
Julie Edmunds ◽  
Philip Kendall
Keyword(s):  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Childhood Anxiety ◽  
Childhood Anxiety Disorders

scholarly journals Highlights of this issue

2013 ◽  
Vol 203 (6) ◽  
pp. A22-A22
Author(s):  
Kimberlie Dean
Keyword(s):  
Eating Disorders ◽  
Randomised Controlled Trial ◽  
Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Early Life ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Childhood Anxiety ◽  
Childhood Anxiety Disorders ◽  
Low Intensity ◽  
Randomised Controlled ◽  
Diagnostic Outcomes

Interventions throughout early life - antenatally, in childhood and in adolescenceTwo papers in the Journal this month describe trials of interventions targeting young people – one focused on treating anxiety disorders in childhood and another on preventing eating disorders in adolescence. While CBT for childhood anxiety disorders is known to be effective, its availability is limited. Thirlwall et al (pp. 436–444) conducted a randomised controlled trial of low-intensity guided parent-delivered CBT in a sample of children with anxiety disorders referred by primary or secondary care to a specialist clinic. Compared with waiting-list controls, the children receiving the full intervention demonstrated superior diagnostic outcomes, whereas those receiving a brief version of the intervention showed no improvements. In a linked editorial, Cartwright-Hatton (pp. 401–402) highlights the prevalence of childhood anxiety disorders, the implications of failing to treat them and the evidence supporting their treatability. She also points to the implications of findings from Thirlwall et al indicating that therapists need not be highly trained or experienced to achieve significant results.

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