Childhood fears which have a social or evaluative basis are considered to be chronic disorders with deleterious effects on academic and social functioning. Yet, despite this recognition, there are few scientific investigations directed at elucidating the epidemiology, psychopathology, and course of these conditions. One area which appears to be in critical need of study is the role of autonomic parameters, particularly as they relate to the etiology and maintenance of childhood anxiety. A second important but unstudied area is the co-morbidity of anxiety states; specifically whether children with one particular anxiety disorder also experience anxiety in other similar or dissimilar situations. The proposed study will address these issues. First, the autonomic and cognitive correlates of children with test anxiety, a chronic anxiety disorder which has a social-evaluative basis will be examined. Children will be compared on these variables with their non-test anxious peers and the stability of these parameters will be examined by two repeated assessments. Second, the co-morbidity of this disorder with DSM-III anxiety states will be determined. Additionally, the role of family characteristics will also be examined. Finally, this project will develop and pilot interventions for the treatment of childhood test anxiety as well as assess their impact on the more pervasive anxiety disorders. The proposed study will provide important information on the autonomic and cognitive parameters of a chronic childhood anxiety disorder and determine if these correlated represent stable response patterns. In addition, the co-morbidity of test anxiety and other anxiety states, including DSM-III anxiety disorders will be determined. This project will elucidate the psychopathology of this disorder, which may hold implications for directing future intervention and prevention efforts.
| Beidel, D C; Fink, C M; Turner, S M (1996) Stability of anxious symptomatology in children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 24:257-69 |
| Beidel, D C; Christ, M G; Long, P J (1991) Somatic complaints in anxious children. J Abnorm Child Psychol 19:659-70 |
| Turner, S M; Beidel, D C; Borden, J W et al. (1991) Social phobia: Axis I and II correlates. J Abnorm Psychol 100:102-6 |
| Beidel, D C (1991) Social phobia and overanxious disorder in school-age children. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry 30:545-52 |
| Beidel, D C; Borden, J W; Turner, S M et al. (1989) The Social Phobia and Anxiety Inventory: concurrent validity with a clinic sample. Behav Res Ther 27:573-6 |
