INDIVIDUAL AND FAMILIAL PREDICTORS OF IMPAIRMENT IN CHILDHOOD ANXIETYDISORDERS

Objective: To determine which correlates of childhood anxiety disorder s are predictive of impaired functioning as judged by clinicians. Meth od: Seventy-four families of children with anxiety disorders attending a hospital outpatient clinic completed questionnaires measuring child symptoms of anxiety and depression, maternal psychopathology, materna l ratings of child psychopathology, and developmental and environmenta l difficulties. Clinicians completed the Global Assessment f Functioni ng (GAF) for each child, and correlations between it and the other mea sures were ascertained. Results: Maternal ratings of child conduct pro blems, child symptoms of depression, maternal phobic anxiety, developm ental difficulties, and psychosocial adversity were significantly corr elated with GAF Results of a multiple regression analysis revealed tha t these variables accounted for 25% of the variance in GAF scores. The first four variables were significant predictors of impairment in chi ldren with phobic disorders. Psychosocial adversity was the only signi ficant predictor of impairment in children with generalized anxiety di sorder. Conclusions: In addition to child depression and developmental or psychosocial adversity, impairment in childhood anxiety disorders appears to be related to parental anxiety and behavior management diff iculties, particularly in phobic disorders. Addressing the latter fact ors may enhance treatment efficacy.