A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF CHILDHOOD ANXIETY DISORDERS

Objective: To evaluate course and outcome of DSM-III-R anxiety disorde rs prospectively in clinically referred children. Method: Children wer e blindly and repeatedly assessed with a structured diagnostic intervi ew over a 3- to 4-year period to determine recovery from anxiety disor der and development of new psychiatric disorders. Both psychopathologi cal (attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, n = 50) and never psych iatrically ill (NPI, n = 83) controls served as comparison groups for children with anxiety disorders (n = 84). Results: The majority of chi ldren (82%) were free from their intake anxiety disorders by the end o f the follow-up. Relapse of these anxiety disorders after remission wa s rare (8%). During follow-up, anxious children were more likely to de velop new psychiatric disorders (30%), primarily new anxiety disorders (16%), than were NPI children (11% and 2%, respectively), but not psy chopathological controls (42% and 10%, respectively). Conclusions: Ove rall, results suggest a favorable outcome with respect to diagnostic s tatus for clinically referred children with anxiety disorders. However , these children may be at risk for new psychiatric disorders over tim e.