There are clear indications for an association between childhood separation anxiety disorder and future anxiety and panic disorders. These results support a developmental psychopathology conceptualization of anxiety disorders, a perspective that is expected to be strengthened in the DSM-5. Some evidence suggests the existence of  a developmental pathway that may start with exaggerated stranger anxiety in infancy.

Further Conclusions from Findings of Separation Anxiety Disorder and Panic Disorders Comorbidity Research

From the meta-analyses, it was concluded that children with separation anxiety disorder were more likely to develop panic disorder later on (odds ratio=3.45; 95% CI=2.37–5.03). The results indicate that a childhood diagnosis of separation anxiety disorder significantly increases the risk of panic disorder but also of other anxiety disorders.

University of Colorado at Denver

Research has shown that diagnosed childhood separation anxiety disorder may be associated with a heightened risk for the development of other disorders, such as panic disorder, in adulthood.

Separation Anxiety and Panic Disorder

Kossowsky, J., Pfaltz, M. C., Schneider, S., Taeymans, J., Locher, C., & Gaab, J. (2013). The Separation Anxiety Hypothesis of Panic Disorder Revisited: A Meta-Analysis. American Journal of Psychiatry, 170(7), 768–781. https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.ajp.2012.12070893

The Separation Anxiety Hypothesis of Panic Disorder Revisited: A Meta-Analysis

The findings of this research were discovered meta-analyses of epidemiological studies looking into the association between childhood separation anxiety disorder and panic disorder. Case-control, prospective, and retrospective cohort studies comparing children with and without separation anxiety disorder with regard to future panic disorders were used.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After