Anxiety disorders in mid-adolescence: a community sample

Abstract

The authors report the 6-month period prevalence of anxiety disorders in a community sample of 150 adolescents 14 to 16 years old. Diagnoses were based on structured psychiatric interviews, DSM-III criteria, and a psychiatrist's review of the data. Additional measures of affect, self-concept, and coping were also obtained for all subjects. Seventeen percent of the adolescents met criteria for one or more anxiety diagnoses and 8.7% were identified as "cases" of anxiety disorder. A significant relationship was found between anxiety and depression. The authors discuss the distribution and expression of anxiety disorders among adolescents in the community.