Adult separation anxiety disorder: a disorder comes of age.
This article explores accruing evidence supporting the occurrence of an adult form of separation anxiety disorder (ASAD), a category yet to be recognized by international classification systems. ASAD can have its first onset in adulthood, although in a portion of cases, it represents a persistence or recurrence of the childhood-onset type. Recent large-scale clinic studies have suggested that ASAD is associated with high levels of disability. In addition, the presence of ASAD in individuals with anxiety disorders seems to signal a poor outcome to cognitive-behavioral therapy. The existing evidence suggests possible grounds for removing the childhood-onset requirement for the category of separation anxiety disorder, thereby allowing for first onset in adulthood. There is a pressing need to design and test appropriate treatments for ASAD and to educate clinicians to identify and manage the condition.
Manicavasagar
Vijaya
V
School of Psychiatry, Prince of Wales Hospital, University of New South Wales and Black Dog Institute, Randwick, New South Wales 2031, Australia. v.manicavasagar@unsw.edu.au
Marnane
Claire
C
Pini
Stefano
S
Abelli
Marianna
M
Rees
Susan
S
Eapen
Valsa
V
Silove
Derrick
D
D000328:Adult; D001010:Anxiety, Separation / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis*; D039721:Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders; D006801:Humans