TY - JOUR
T1 - On the physiological symptom constellation in youth with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)
AU - Kendall, Philip C.
AU - Pimentel, Sandra S.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was facilitated by a grant (MH 44042) from NIMH awarded to the first author.
PY - 2003
Y1 - 2003
N2 - To investigate the physiological symptom constellation of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)/Overanxious Disorder (OAD) in children, the present study examined parent and child reports. Children (N=47; aged 9-13) were evaluated to meet criteria for a diagnosis of GAD. Child physiological symptoms were assessed including: (a) inability to sit still/relax, (b) difficulty paying attention/concentrating, (c) irritability/getting upset easily, (d) muscle aches, and (e) sleep disturbance. Separate child and parent reports were significantly discordant for each of the GAD somatic symptoms. Parents also endorsed significantly more somatic symptoms than their GAD children. Furthermore, 9- to 11-year-olds reported fewer somatic symptoms than 11- to 13-year-olds, whereas the number of parental endorsements of child symptoms remained consistent across child ages. Results of a separate analysis of treatment sensitivity suggest that somatic symptoms were responsive to cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for anxiety. When assessing GAD in children, discrepancies between parent and child report of somatic symptomatology, as well as a child's age and developmental level, should be considered.
AB - To investigate the physiological symptom constellation of Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)/Overanxious Disorder (OAD) in children, the present study examined parent and child reports. Children (N=47; aged 9-13) were evaluated to meet criteria for a diagnosis of GAD. Child physiological symptoms were assessed including: (a) inability to sit still/relax, (b) difficulty paying attention/concentrating, (c) irritability/getting upset easily, (d) muscle aches, and (e) sleep disturbance. Separate child and parent reports were significantly discordant for each of the GAD somatic symptoms. Parents also endorsed significantly more somatic symptoms than their GAD children. Furthermore, 9- to 11-year-olds reported fewer somatic symptoms than 11- to 13-year-olds, whereas the number of parental endorsements of child symptoms remained consistent across child ages. Results of a separate analysis of treatment sensitivity suggest that somatic symptoms were responsive to cognitive-behavioral treatment (CBT) for anxiety. When assessing GAD in children, discrepancies between parent and child report of somatic symptomatology, as well as a child's age and developmental level, should be considered.
KW - Child anxiety
KW - Generalized Anxiety Disorder
KW - Somatic symptoms
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U2 - 10.1016/S0887-6185(02)00196-2
DO - 10.1016/S0887-6185(02)00196-2
M3 - Article
C2 - 12614663
AN - SCOPUS:0037289245
SN - 0887-6185
VL - 17
SP - 211
EP - 221
JO - Journal of Anxiety Disorders
JF - Journal of Anxiety Disorders
IS - 2
ER -