Childhood Anxiety

Has childhood anxiety increased

over time?
If yes, why?

Anxiety in Children

It is not uncommon for children to have fears and insecurities or

for young children to cling to their parents when in new situations

or around new people. As children grow older and enter school
situations, it is also quite common for them to feel nervous about
exams or giving class presentations. When physical and/or
emotional symptoms become difficult to manage, or a childs
ability to function in a variety of situations like school, extra
curricular activities, friendships, etc. becomes compromised, then
your child may be suffering from a childhood anxiety disorder.
Source: www.anxietycanada.ca

Statistics
Anxiety disorders are the most common mental health concern in
Canada. 1 in 4 Canadians are affected by an anxiety disorder.
Adults may suffer from six disorders: 1) Post-traumatic stress

2)obsessive compulsive 3) generalized anxiety 4) social anxiety 5)

panic 6) specific phobias.
Children may suffer from seven disorders. The six above as well as

separation anxiety..
People with anxiety disorders often suffer from more than one and may

also experience depression, eating disorders and/or substance abuse

simultaneously.
Anxiety disorders are caused by a combination of biological factors,

brain function, and personal circumstance. Social and economic factors

may increase the incidence of anxiety.
www.anxietycanada.ca

ANXIETY AFFECTS ON PHYSICAL

HEALTH
Sleep difficulties
Panic attacks
Feeling sad/Depression
Alcohol & drug abuse
Muscle tension
Frequent urination
Headaches
Stomach aches
Restlessness
Difficulty concentrating

Research Shows....

YES! Child Anxiety has increased

National Institutes of Health: There is persuasive evidence from

a range of studies that anxiety disorders are the most frequent

mental disorders in children and adolescents and the number
of children with anxiety disorders is increasing every year.
These new numbers may be viewed skeptically because of the

trend towards looser and broader definitions of mental illness.

Some argue it is because of the influence of pharmaceutical
companies on diagnosis and prescription patterns.
Despite these stipulations, however, research shows that

childhood anxiety is indeed on the rise at every level, from fears

of monsters under the bed to phobias and panic attacks to
severe anxiety disorders.

Yes! Child Anxiety has

Increased
Kids, Poverty and Mental Health: Anxiety a growing

problem (Feb. 2014) CBC

The Decline of Play and Rise in Children's Mental

Disorders Children are more anxious and depressed than

ever before. Why? (Jan. 2010)
Studies Show Normal Children Today Report More

Anxiety than Child Psychiatric Patients in the 1950's

(Dec. 2000)

young-minds-stress-anxiety-plaguing-canadian-youth

Why?

Why?

Rates of anxiety and depression among children and adolescents were far lower during the

Great Depression, during World War II, during the Cold War, and during the turbulent 1960s and
early 70s than they are today. The changes seem to have much more to do with the way young
people view the world than with the way the world actually is. Dr. Gray
low social connectedness and high environmental threat.

Schools are more competitive, children are more overscheduled, parents are worried about

finances and safety, and our society is based on a win-lose model, where only a few children will
be able to succeed. Meanwhile, coping mechanisms are disappearing: Children dont get enough
time outside, either experiencing nature or running around in their neighborhoods. Children dont
spend nearly enough time doing nothing, enjoying the downtime necessary to process all their
new experiences. Instead, they are desperately engaged in a drive to never be bored. I think
society has put ourselves, and our children, into an anxiety-producing corner. We want our
children to be academically successful and always happy and creative and socially/emotionally
intelligent. Its an impossible demand, and the inevitable result is anxiety and burnout.
focus on the opposite of worry, anxiety, and fear. In terms of the body, that means relaxation,

physical activity, roughhousing, and outdoor time. In terms of over-protectiveness, that means
letting children have adventures that are scary, fun, and safe.
-Dr. L. Cohen

Why?
Decline in Young People's Sense of Personal Control over their Fate.
Measured by Julien Rotters Internal-External Locus of Control Scale.

Shift Toward Extrinsic goals, away from Intrinsic Goals

Decline of Free Play. By depriving children of opportunities to play on their own, away from
direct adult supervision and control, we are depriving them of opportunities to learn how to take
control of their own lives.

Schooling Deprives Young People of Personal Control, Directs Them

Toward Extrinsic Goals, and Promotes Anxiety and Depression

The stigma surrounding mental illness discourages some parents

from seeking help. "I've had parents refuse to sign permission for counseling for one boy," said Hsu,
whose agency conducted a training for Fremont Unified home-health teachers. "They were afraid it would negatively
affect his college application.

Parent/Family stress
DSM-V changes. Diagnostic and statistical manual on mental disorders.
source: https://www.psychologytoday.com

Strategies to Help
Students
Validate the students feelings and understand that his/her worries/fears are

real to him/her
Teach and model appropriate responses to stress
Teach specific steps the student can take to relax (i.e. taking deep breaths,
tensing muscles and then relaxing muscles, etc.)
Allow the student to have a small object (such as stress ball) in his/her
pocket that would be appropriate to use during class time and would not
disturb others
Allow choices in order to help the student feel more in control
Minimize the emphasis on competition

Allow the student to engage in calming activities, such as silent reading or

listening to music, when worried or stressed

Reduce unnecessary stress within school/classroom environment
Where feasible, avoid bringing up topics that are sensitive to the student