The impact of comorbidity profiles on clinical and psychosocial functioning in childhood anxiety disorders

Carly J Johnco; Alison Salloum; Adam B Lewin; Nicole M McBride; Eric A Storch

doi:10.1016/j.psychres.2015.07.027

The impact of comorbidity profiles on clinical and psychosocial functioning in childhood anxiety disorders

Psychiatry Res. 2015 Sep 30;229(1-2):237-44. doi: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.07.027. Epub 2015 Jul 15.

Authors

Carly J Johnco¹, Alison Salloum², Adam B Lewin³, Nicole M McBride⁴, Eric A Storch⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² School of Social Work, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
³ Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
⁴ Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.
⁵ Department of Pediatrics, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Neurosciences, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Department of Psychology, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA; Rogers Behavioral Health - Tampa Bay, Tampa, FL, USA; All Children's Hospital - Johns Hopkins Medicine, Saint Petersburg, FL, USA; Department of Health Policy and Management, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL, USA.

PMID: 26205632
DOI: 10.1016/j.psychres.2015.07.027

Abstract

Despite the high rates of comorbidity in pediatric anxiety disorder samples, there are few studies that systematically examine differences in clinical and psychosocial functioning between different comorbidity profiles. Those that have, typically combine youth with comorbid conduct problem and those with comorbid ADHD, despite likely differences in the etiology and course of these conditions. This study compared the profile of children with a primary anxiety disorder without comorbidity to those with different comorbidity profiles in a treatment-seeking sample of 111 children recruited from community mental health settings. Anxiety severity and depressive symptomatology did not vary by comorbidity profile. Anxious children without comorbidity had lower levels of attention problems, rule breaking, aggressive and externalizing behaviors compared to the comorbid ADHD and comorbid conduct problems groups, as well as lower levels of functional impairment and social problems. There were some differences in clinical phenomenology and psychosocial functioning between the comorbid ADHD and comorbid conduct problems groups, with the conduct problems group having higher levels of rule breaking, aggressive and externalizing behaviors, as well as higher levels of functional impairment, providing preliminary evidence of separate clinical profiles.

Keywords: Anxiety; Anxiety disorders; Child; Comorbidity; Psychosocial functioning.

Publication types

Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Adolescent
Aggression / psychology
Anxiety Disorders / diagnosis*
Anxiety Disorders / epidemiology
Anxiety Disorders / psychology*
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / diagnosis
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / epidemiology
Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity / psychology
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / diagnosis
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / epidemiology
Attention Deficit and Disruptive Behavior Disorders / psychology
Child
Comorbidity
Conduct Disorder / diagnosis
Conduct Disorder / psychology
Cross-Sectional Studies
Depressive Disorder / diagnosis
Depressive Disorder / epidemiology
Depressive Disorder / psychology
Female
Humans
Internal-External Control
Male
Problem Behavior / psychology
Social Adjustment*

Grants and funding

1R18HS018665-01A1/HS/AHRQ HHS/United States