Download Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)

Separation Anxiety Disorder
(SAD)
By
Samuel Mejia
P.1
Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD)
• Separation anxiety disorder is a mental health disorder that
begins in childhood and is characterized by worrying that is
out of proportion to the situation of temporarily leaving home
or otherwise separating from other.
• It is diagnosed during childhood Separation anxiety disorder
is likely caused by the combination of genetic and
environmental vulnerabilities rather than by any one thing.
Associated Features
• repeated excessive anxiety about something bad happening
to loved ones or losing them
• heightened concern about either getting lost or being
kidnapped
• repeated hesitancy or refusal to go to day care or school or to
be alone or without loved ones or other adults who are
important to the anxious child
• persistent reluctance or refusal to go to sleep at nighttime
without being physically close to adult loved ones
• Nightmares about being separated from the people who are
important to the sufferers
Associated Features
• DSM-IV-TR Criteria:
•
•
A. Developmentally inappropriate and excessive anxiety concerning separation from home
or from those to whom the individual is attached, as evidenced by three (or more) of the
following:
Recurrent excessive distress when separation from home or major attachment figures occurs or is
anticipated.
•
Persistent and excessive worry about losing, or about possible harm befalling, major attachment figures.
•
Persistent and excessive worry that an untoward event will lead to separation from a major attachment
figure (e.g.; getting lost or being kidnapped).
•
Persistent reluctance or refusal to go to school or elsewhere because fear of separation.
•
Persistent and excessively fearful or reluctant to be alone or without major attachment figures at home or
without significant adults in other settings.
Associated Features
•
B. The duration of the disturbance is at least 4 weeks.
•
C. The onset is before age 18 years.
•
D. Part 1 OR Part 2
•
Part 1. The disturbance causes clinically significant distress.
•
Part 2. The disturbance causes clinically significant impairment in social, academic
(occupational), or other important areas of functioning.
•
E. The disturbance does not occur exclusively during the course of a Pervasive
Developmental Disorder, Schizophrenia, or other Psychotic Disorder and, in adolescents
and adults, is not better accounted for by Panic Disorder with Agoraphobia.
Etiology
•
In addition to being more common in children with family histories of anxiety,
children whose mothers were stressed during pregnancy with them tend to be
more at risk for developing this disorder.
•
A majority of children with separation anxiety disorder have school refusal as a
symptom and up to 80% of children who refuse school qualify for the diagnosis of
separation anxiety disorder.
•
Approximately 50%-75% of children who suffer from this disorder come from
homes of low socioeconomic status.
•
Separation anxiety disorder (as with most mental-health conditions) is likely
caused by the combination of genetic and environmental vulnerabilities rather
than by any one thing.
Prevalence
•
Separation Anxiety is a normal developmental stage. It helps children learn how to
master their environment. However, if a child doesn’t overcome their separation,
they will most likely develop the disorder.
•
Approximately 4%- 5% of children & adolescents suffer from separation anxiety
disorder ages 7 – 11 years.
•
Affects about 1.3 of American teens and affects boys & girls equally.
Treatment
•
Counseling, rather than medication, is the treatment of choice for SAD that is mild
severity.
•
Psychotherapy, Medication, & parent counseling are three interventions that have
been found effective.
•
If psychotherapy is unsuccessful or if the children’s symptoms are so severe,
medication is considered a viable option.
•
However, there are no medications specifically approved by the U.S. FDA to treat
separation anxiety disorder.
Prognosis
•
If left untreated, Separation anxiety disorder puts its sufferers at risk for
depression and anxiety problems as adults, as well as personality
disorders, in which anxiety is a major symptom.
•
Adults may experience: wide-ranging separation anxiety symptoms, such as
extreme anxiety and fear, when separated from major attachment figures;
avoidance of being alone; and fears that harm will befall those close to them.
•
Separation anxiety disorder may be a neglected diagnosis in adulthood.
References
Halgrin, R.P, & Whitbourne, S.K. (2005). Abnormal Psychology: Clinical
Perspectives on Psychological Disorders. New York: Mc Graw Hill
Myer, D.G.(2011). Myer’s Psychology For AP. New York, NY: Worth Publishers
Edwards, R.D., Separation Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved from
http://www.medicinenet.com/separation_anxiety/article.html
Nichols, M. (June 30, 2008) Adult Separation Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved from
http://www.anxietypanichealth.com/reference/separation-anxiety-disorder-adult/
Discussion Question
• How does Separation Anxiety Disorder relate
to Associative learning?