Risk Factors for Pediatric Anxiety Disorders

Child Adolesc Psychiatr Clin N Am. 2023 Jul;32(3):485-510. doi: 10.1016/j.chc.2022.10.001. Epub 2023 Feb 26.

Abstract

This review summarizes risk factors for developing anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. A surfeit of risk factors, including temperament, family environment (eg, parenting style), environmental exposures (eg, particulate matter), and cognitive factors (eg, threat bias), increases the risk of anxiety in children. These risk factors can significantly impact the trajectory of pediatric anxiety disorders. The impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection on anxiety disorders in children is discussed in addition to its public health implications. Identifying risk factors for pediatric anxiety disorders creates a scaffold for the development of prevention strategies and for reducing anxiety-related disability.

Keywords: Anxiety; COVID-19; Cognitive; Genetic biomarkers; Internalizing; Predispose; Risk factors.

Publication types

  • Review
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Anxiety / psychology
  • Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
  • Anxiety Disorders / etiology
  • COVID-19* / complications
  • Child
  • Humans
  • Parenting / psychology
  • Risk Factors