COMORBIDITY OF CHILDHOOD ANXIETY AND EXTERNALIZING DISORDERS - PREVALENCE, ASSOCIATED CHARACTERISTICS, AND VALIDATION ISSUES

The prevalence of co-occurring anxiety and externalizing (i.e., attent ion deficit-hyperactivity, oppositional, and conduct disorders) condit ions is examined in both epidemiological and clinic-referred studies a mong child and adolescent samples. In the context of comorbid anxious and externalizing conditions, issues of age, gender, and familial diff erences are explored. Literature that describes the associated charact eristics of children diagnosed with comorbid anxiety and attention def icit disorders is reviewed, followed by a similar ''view of the litera ture with respect to comorbid anxiety and conduct disorders of childho od. Validation issues and suggestions for improvements to future resea rch on comorbid childhood anxiety and externalizing disorders are disc ussed.