| Prevalence |
About 4% of adults had separation anxiety disorder in childhood (Shear et al., 2006). Separation anxiety disorder is the most prevalent anxiety disorder among children, particularly those younger than 12 years old. |
| Onset |
The disorder can begin as early as the preschool years. Separation anxiety disorder may emerge after some type of stressful event, such as a move, the death of a pet, or the illness of a relative. |
| Comorbidity |
Children with separation anxiety disorder are more likely to experience other anxiety disorders—especially generalized anxiety disorder—than are children in the general population (Brückl et al., 2006; Verduin & Kendall, 2003). |
| Course |
Symptoms often wax and wane. As the child gets older, symptoms tend to lessen; at some point before adulthood, most people no longer meet the criteria for the disorder (Foley, Pickles et al., 2004; Shear et al., 2006). |
| Gender Differences |
In the general population, more females than males have this disorder; however, comparable numbers of males and females with this disorder are treated as outpatients. |
| Cultural Differences |
Different ethnic groups and cultures have different norms about what constitutes appropriate responses to separation in children, which can affect parents’ inclination to perceive a separation problem and create different thresholds for diagnosis across cultures. |
| Source: Unless otherwise noted, the source for information is American Psychiatric Association, 2013. |