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Separation anxiety

MedGen UID:
1999
•Concept ID:
C0003477
•
Mental or Behavioral Dysfunction
Synonyms: Anxiety Disorder, Separation; Anxiety, Separation; Separation Anxiety; Separation Anxiety Disorder
SNOMED CT: Separation anxiety (126943008); Separation anxiety disorder (11806006)

Definition

An anxiety disorder characterized by recurrent excessive distress due to fear of separation from the home or from major attachment figures; the distress is developmentally inappropriate and causes impairment in social, academic, or other areas of functioning. [from NCI]

Term Hierarchy

CClinical test,  RResearch test,  OOMIM,  GGeneReviews,  VClinVar  
  • CROGVSeparation anxiety

Professional guidelines

PubMed

The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.
Ströhle A, Gensichen J, Domschke K
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2018 Sep 14;155(37):611-620. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0611. PMID: 30282583Free PMC Article
Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study.
Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. PMID: 29357099Free PMC Article
Assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.
Wehry AM, Beesdo-Baum K, Hennelly MM, Connolly SD, Strawn JR
Curr Psychiatry Rep 2015 Jul;17(7):52. doi: 10.1007/s11920-015-0591-z. PMID: 25980507Free PMC Article

Recent clinical studies

Etiology

Comparison of Intranasal Dexmedetomidine and Oral Midazolam for Premedication in Pediatric Dental Patients under General Anesthesia: A Randomised Clinical Trial.
Wang L, Huang L, Zhang T, Peng W
Biomed Res Int 2020;2020:5142913. Epub 2020 Apr 24 doi: 10.1155/2020/5142913. PMID: 32382556Free PMC Article
A neurobiological framework of separation anxiety and related phenotypes.
Schiele MA, Bandelow B, Baldwin DS, Pini S, Domschke K
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020 Apr;33:45-57. Epub 2020 Feb 8 doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.01.009. PMID: 32046934
Separation Anxiety.
Scoles D, Tapino PJ
Ophthalmol Retina 2019 Jun;3(6):499. doi: 10.1016/j.oret.2019.02.006. PMID: 31174671
The separation of adult separation anxiety disorder.
Baldwin DS, Gordon R, Abelli M, Pini S
CNS Spectr 2016 Aug;21(4):289-94. doi: 10.1017/S1092852916000080. PMID: 27503572
Treatment of separation, generalized, and social anxiety disorders in youths.
Mohatt J, Bennett SM, Walkup JT
Am J Psychiatry 2014 Jul;171(7):741-8. doi: 10.1176/appi.ajp.2014.13101337. PMID: 24874020

Diagnosis

Possible oxytocin-related biomarkers in anxiety and mood disorders.
Yoon S, Kim YK
Prog Neuropsychopharmacol Biol Psychiatry 2022 Jun 8;116:110531. Epub 2022 Feb 9 doi: 10.1016/j.pnpbp.2022.110531. PMID: 35150782
Separation Anxiety Disorder.
Patel AK, Bryant B
JAMA 2021 Nov 9;326(18):1880. doi: 10.1001/jama.2021.17269. PMID: 34751707
Separation Anxiety.
Scoles D, Tapino PJ
Ophthalmol Retina 2019 Jun;3(6):499. doi: 10.1016/j.oret.2019.02.006. PMID: 31174671
Oxytocin and Anxiety Disorders.
Gottschalk MG, Domschke K
Curr Top Behav Neurosci 2018;35:467-498. doi: 10.1007/7854_2017_25. PMID: 28812274
Anxiety.
Craske MG, Stein MB
Lancet 2016 Dec 17;388(10063):3048-3059. Epub 2016 Jun 24 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30381-6. PMID: 27349358

Therapy

Current and Novel Psychopharmacological Drugs for Anxiety Disorders.
Bandelow B
Adv Exp Med Biol 2020;1191:347-365. doi: 10.1007/978-981-32-9705-0_19. PMID: 32002937
The Diagnosis and Treatment of Anxiety Disorders.
Ströhle A, Gensichen J, Domschke K
Dtsch Arztebl Int 2018 Sep 14;155(37):611-620. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2018.0611. PMID: 30282583Free PMC Article
Anxiety.
Craske MG, Stein MB
Lancet 2016 Dec 17;388(10063):3048-3059. Epub 2016 Jun 24 doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(16)30381-6. PMID: 27349358
Assessment and treatment of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents.
Wehry AM, Beesdo-Baum K, Hennelly MM, Connolly SD, Strawn JR
Curr Psychiatry Rep 2015 Jul;17(7):52. doi: 10.1007/s11920-015-0591-z. PMID: 25980507Free PMC Article
Comorbidity of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: 20 years after.
Cummings CM, Caporino NE, Kendall PC
Psychol Bull 2014 May;140(3):816-45. Epub 2013 Nov 11 doi: 10.1037/a0034733. PMID: 24219155Free PMC Article

Prognosis

School refusal and anxiety among children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review.
Tekin I, Aydın S
New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022 Nov;2022(185-186):43-65. Epub 2022 Sep 25 doi: 10.1002/cad.20484. PMID: 36161758
Treatment of selective mutism: a 5-year follow-up study.
Oerbeck B, Overgaard KR, Stein MB, Pripp AH, Kristensen H
Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 2018 Aug;27(8):997-1009. Epub 2018 Jan 22 doi: 10.1007/s00787-018-1110-7. PMID: 29357099Free PMC Article
Long-term effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for youth with anxiety disorders.
Kodal A, Fjermestad K, Bjelland I, Gjestad R, Öst LG, Bjaastad JF, Haugland BSM, Havik OE, Heiervang E, Wergeland GJ
J Anxiety Disord 2018 Jan;53:58-67. Epub 2017 Nov 26 doi: 10.1016/j.janxdis.2017.11.003. PMID: 29195188
Comorbidity of anxiety and depression in children and adolescents: 20 years after.
Cummings CM, Caporino NE, Kendall PC
Psychol Bull 2014 May;140(3):816-45. Epub 2013 Nov 11 doi: 10.1037/a0034733. PMID: 24219155Free PMC Article
Anxiety and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: developmental issues and implications for DSM-V.
Beesdo K, Knappe S, Pine DS
Psychiatr Clin North Am 2009 Sep;32(3):483-524. doi: 10.1016/j.psc.2009.06.002. PMID: 19716988Free PMC Article

Clinical prediction guides

Anxiety in Wiedemann-Steiner syndrome.
Ng R, Bjornsson HT, Fahrner JA, Harris J
Am J Med Genet A 2023 Feb;191(2):437-444. Epub 2022 Nov 14 doi: 10.1002/ajmg.a.63040. PMID: 36373844Free PMC Article
School refusal and anxiety among children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review.
Tekin I, Aydın S
New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022 Nov;2022(185-186):43-65. Epub 2022 Sep 25 doi: 10.1002/cad.20484. PMID: 36161758
The relationship between nomophobia and psychiatric symptoms in adolescents.
Kuscu TD, Gumustas F, Rodopman Arman A, Goksu M
Int J Psychiatry Clin Pract 2021 Mar;25(1):56-61. Epub 2020 Sep 17 doi: 10.1080/13651501.2020.1819334. PMID: 32940094
Comparison of Intranasal Dexmedetomidine and Oral Midazolam for Premedication in Pediatric Dental Patients under General Anesthesia: A Randomised Clinical Trial.
Wang L, Huang L, Zhang T, Peng W
Biomed Res Int 2020;2020:5142913. Epub 2020 Apr 24 doi: 10.1155/2020/5142913. PMID: 32382556Free PMC Article
A neurobiological framework of separation anxiety and related phenotypes.
Schiele MA, Bandelow B, Baldwin DS, Pini S, Domschke K
Eur Neuropsychopharmacol 2020 Apr;33:45-57. Epub 2020 Feb 8 doi: 10.1016/j.euroneuro.2020.01.009. PMID: 32046934

Recent systematic reviews

School refusal and anxiety among children and adolescents: A systematic scoping review.
Tekin I, Aydın S
New Dir Child Adolesc Dev 2022 Nov;2022(185-186):43-65. Epub 2022 Sep 25 doi: 10.1002/cad.20484. PMID: 36161758
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Anxiety and Depression in Youth With Epilepsy.
Scott AJ, Sharpe L, Loomes M, Gandy M
J Pediatr Psychol 2020 Mar 1;45(2):133-144. doi: 10.1093/jpepsy/jsz099. PMID: 31904859
Use of cannabidiol in anxiety and anxiety-related disorders.
Skelley JW, Deas CM, Curren Z, Ennis J
J Am Pharm Assoc (2003) 2020 Jan-Feb;60(1):253-261. Epub 2019 Dec 19 doi: 10.1016/j.japh.2019.11.008. PMID: 31866386
Comparative Effectiveness and Safety of Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and Pharmacotherapy for Childhood Anxiety Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.
Wang Z, Whiteside SPH, Sim L, Farah W, Morrow AS, Alsawas M, Barrionuevo P, Tello M, Asi N, Beuschel B, Daraz L, Almasri J, Zaiem F, Larrea-Mantilla L, Ponce OJ, LeBlanc A, Prokop LJ, Murad MH
JAMA Pediatr 2017 Nov 1;171(11):1049-1056. doi: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2017.3036. PMID: 28859190Free PMC Article
Efficacy and tolerability of antidepressants in pediatric anxiety disorders: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Strawn JR, Welge JA, Wehry AM, Keeshin B, Rynn MA
Depress Anxiety 2015 Mar;32(3):149-57. Epub 2014 Nov 28 doi: 10.1002/da.22329. PMID: 25449861Free PMC Article

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