Stability of anxious symptomatology in children.
The stability of anxiety states and symptoms was assessed in a sample of 150 anxious and nonanxious children. A number of assessment methods including a semistructured interview, self-report instruments, psychophysiological measures, and parental reports were used initially and at intervals up to 6 months later. The majority of children with a diagnosed anxiety disorder at the initial assessment still manifested significant symptomatology at the 6 month follow-up. However, stability of specific anxiety symptoms when assessed by self- and parental reports was mixed. With respect to psychophysiological assessment, stability of responses was evident at 2 weeks but not after 6 months. Results are discussed in terms of the stability of diagnoses and symptomatology, and the need for thematically relevant self-reports and behavioral assessment tasks. Recommendations are made for the development of a reliable, multimethod strategy to assess the multiple domains of childhood anxiety.
Beidel
D C
DC
Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston 29425, USA.
Fink
C M
CM
Turner
S M
SM
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010290:Parents / Q000523:psychology; D011569:Psychiatric Status Rating Scales; D011674:Pulse; D012494:Sampling Studies