Anxiety in emerging adulthood: A developmentally informed treatment model

Recognition of the unique nature and importance of emerging adulthood as a discrete developmental period continues to gain momentum since first introduced by Arnett in 2000. As the literature on normative development during this time period proliferates, parents, teachers, clinicians, and researchers are also identifying a growing number of emerging adults who struggle to meet developmental milestones and transition into adulthood. Though the level of impairment and diagnostic presentation of these emerging adults can vary widely, anxiety often plays a central role in hindering their successful launch into adulthood. In this chapter, we discuss the prevalence and impact of anxiety disorders during emerging adulthood and the paucity of developmentally appropriate evidence-based interventions for anxiety during this period. In addition, we discuss a treatment model that was developed in our clinic to target anxiety within the developmental context of emerging adulthood, as well as a more in-depth discussion of one specific application of this treatment model to an intensive outpatient group.