Anxiety disorders in developmental age

Abstract

Anxiety disorders represent the more common psychiatric disorder in developmental age and it is estimated that a third of adolescents satisfy the criteria for an anxiety disorder at the age of 18. Many researches show that the disorders of anxiety in childhood are associated with anxiety disorders in adulthood, depressive disorders and use of psychoactive substances. Suffering from anxiety disorders, such as specific phobia, agoraphobia, social anxiety or panic disorder, represents a strong predictor for the development of other psychiatric disorders consequential. In the literature the debate on the weight of environmental factors and genetic factors in determining the development of anxiety disorders is ongoing.