title: Anxiety of children and adolescents who stutter: a review.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Adults who stutter have heightened rates of anxiety disorders, particularly social anxiety disorder, compared with non-stuttering controls. However, the timing of anxiety onset and its development in relation to stuttering is poorly understood. Identifying the typical age of anxiety onset in stuttering has significant clinical implications and is crucial for the management of both disorders across the lifespan. The present review aims to determine the scope of the research pertaining to this topic, identify trends in findings, and delineate timing of anxiety onset in stuttering.
  
  
  METHODS
  We examine putative risk factors of anxiety present for children and adolescents who stutter, and provide a review of the research evidence relating to anxiety for this population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Young people who stutter can experience negative social consequences and negative attitudes towards communication, which is hypothesised to place them at increased risk of developing anxiety. The prevalence of anxiety of young people who stutter, and the timing of anxiety onset in stuttering could not be determined. This was due to methodological limitations in the reviewed research such as small participant numbers, and the use of measures that lack sensitivity to identify anxiety in the targeted population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In sum, the evidence suggests that anxiety in stuttering might increase over time until it exceeds normal limits in adolescence and adulthood. The clinical implications of these findings, and recommendations for future research, are discussed.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The reader will be able to: (a) discuss contemporary thinking on the role of anxiety in stuttering and reasons for this view; (b) describe risk factors for the development of anxiety in stuttering, experienced by children and adolescents who stutter (c) outline trends in current research on anxiety and children and adolescents with stuttering; and (d) summarise rationales behind recommendations for future research in this area.
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia. Electronic address: kylie.smith@mcri.edu.au.
authors.forename: Kylie A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Centre for Emotional Health, Department of Psychology, Macquarie University, Balaclava Road, North Ryde, NSW 2109, Australia.
authors.forename: Lisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Iverach
authors.affiliation: Australian Stuttering Research Centre, University of Sydney, PO Box 170, Lidcombe, NSW 1825, Australia.
authors.forename: Susan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: O'Brian
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Audiology and Speech Pathology, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Elaina
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kefalianos
authors.affiliation: Murdoch Childrens Research Institute, Royal Childrens Research Institute, Flemington Road, Parkville, Victoria 3052, Australia; Department of Paediatrics, University of Melbourne, Victoria 3010, Australia.
authors.forename: Sheena
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Reilly
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000209:etiology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013342:Stuttering / Q000523:psychology*
keywords: Adolescents; Children; Social anxiety disorder; Stuttering