Abstract
Treatment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) may need to occur prior to addressing symptoms of anxiety for children with co-occurring disorders, especially if ADHD symptoms are interfering with functioning at school and at home. Treating executive functions deficits, so that the child can complete course work, is an example of intervening to treat ADHD symptoms. Interventions that address ADHD symptoms so the child can focus or pay attention, and therefore learn anxiety management strategies, may improve behavioral functioning. Treating anxiety through education, graded exposure, and teaching anxiety management strategies (e.g., relaxation) may reduce worries and improve emotional functioning. Reducing occurrence of risky behaviors (related to ADHD) and improving emotional regulation also may be essential interventions. Involving parents in treatment to help the child pay attention and learn strategies was a hallmark of many interventions. It is not yet clear whether having ADHD and anxiety results in further deficits in functioning compared to having ADHD alone, and further research is needed in this area.
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Nabors, L. (2020). Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and Anxiety in Children. In: Anxiety Management in Children with Mental and Physical Health Problems. Springer Series on Child and Family Studies. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-35606-4_7
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