Anxiety in children--an investigation on various forms of anxiety.

In a retrospective study, the medical records of 458 children who were presented at Tübingen University Dept. for Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in the time between 1978 and 1984 and showed the behaviour conspicuousness "anxiety", were evaluated. The aim of the examination was to find out the various forms of anxiety. In addition it should also be found out which influence factors could come into consideration for the coming into being of anxiety. In doing so it became clear that the occurrence of the various forms of anxiety shows a certain dependency upon age. Thus night terrors, school anxiety, separation and loss anxiety occurred more in children in younger age groups, whereas anxiety about the future, anxiety in connection with physical symptoms, failure anxiety, anxiety about illnesses and anxiety about having to die are more anxiety forms of adolescents. Anxieties change with the child's development and the experience with reality connected to this. Important factors that contribute to the coming into being of anxiety are of family origin. The surroundings in which the child grows up play an important role in the coming into being of anxiety. At the same time the genetic components may not be disregarded.