Font Size
A
A
A

Separation Anxiety (cont.)

Synonyms and Keywords

separation anxiety, separation anxiety disorder, childhood anxiety, clinging, bullying, social rejection, school refusal, refusing to go to school, cognitive-behavior therapy, desensitization, antianxiety medications, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, SSRIs, relaxation exercises

Authors and Editors

Author: Bettina E Bernstein, DO, Consulting Staff, Assistant Professor of Child Psychiatry, Philadelphia College of Osteopa, Department of Child Psychiatry, Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Editors: Caroly Pataki, MD, Associate Program Director, Clinical Associate Professor, Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Neuropsychiatric Institute and Hospital, UCLA; Mary L Windle, Pharm D, Adjunct Assistant Professor, University of Nebraska Medical Center College of Pharmacy; Pharmacy Editor, eMedicine.com, Inc; Alan D Schmetzer, MD, Professor and Assistant Chair for Education, Department of Psychiatry, Indiana University School of Medicine.

Last Editorial Review: 10/24/2005




Printer-Friendly Format  |  Email to a Friend


Emotional Wellness

Get tips on therapy and treatment.

Are You Depressed? Take the Quiz


Read What Your Physician is Reading on eMedicine

Anxiety Disorder: Separation Anxiety and School Refusal »

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition (DSM-IV), separation anxiety is a fairly common anxiety disorder that consists of excessive anxiety beyond that expected for the child's developmental level related to separation or impending separation from the attachment figure (eg, primary caretaker, close family member) occurring in children younger than 18 years and lasting for at least 4 weeks.

Read More on eMedicine »

Medical Dictionary