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Anxiety Disorders

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Handbook of Autism and Anxiety

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Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to provide an overview of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents, inasmuch as most of the research on autism spectrum disorders has been conducted with young people. First, the phenomenology of this type of psychopathology in youths will be addressed, including topics such as its classification in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5), prevalence, course, severity, and comorbidity. Second, the etiology of anxiety disorders in children and adolescents will be explored, as well as the influence of development and a variety of temperamental, environmental, and genetic/physiological factors. Third, current treatment strategies for youths with anxiety disorders will be described, mainly focusing on evidence-based interventions including cognitive–behavioral therapy and pharmacotherapy with selective serotonin uptake inhibitors.

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Muris, P. (2014). Anxiety Disorders. In: Davis III, T., White, S., Ollendick, T. (eds) Handbook of Autism and Anxiety. Autism and Child Psychopathology Series. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-06796-4_3

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