Anxiety Disorders in Children - Association With Neurodevelopmental Delay/Disorder

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The main objective of the study is to examine the relationship between anxiety disorders and neurodevelopmental disorder/delay in children aged 7- 13 years.

Detailed Description
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Project summary Anxiety disorders (AD's) in childhood are common and may cause great suffering.Childhood AD's may persist into adulthood and knowledge of important risk factors for development and maintenance of these disorders is essential.The development of AD's is due to a complex interaction between biological and environmental factors.This study will examine the relationship between AD's and two biological risk factors:1.Neurodevelopmental delays/disorders (NDD'S) in motor and cognitive function and 2.Temperament/personality.To date a few studies have consistently found that motor impairment is associated with childhood anxiety and predicts persistent anxiety in adolescence.The association between AD's and NDD's in cognitive functions such as language and attention is far less studied. In contrast, there is a huge research literature on temperament as a risk factor for AD's.The temperamental trait behavioural inhibition has been shown to be particularly associated with AD's.However, very few studies have examined the interplay between NDD's, temperament and anxiety.The study is a clinical case-control study of children aged 7-13 years with AD's referred to three different out-patient clinics.The participants will be assessed by diagnostic interviews, neuropsychological tests and temperament/personality instruments.Comparison groups are:1.children with ADHD (to compare AD's with another mental disorder related to NDD's) and 2.Non-referred children without a mental disorder. Follow-up at 6 months,1 and 5 years.A pilot study at two of the three out-patient clinics to be included,showed a sufficient sample size.Anticipated implications of the study include increased knowledge of biological risk factors and of latent neurological brain correlates,as well as treatment implications.Children with NDD's are often met with demands they cannot cope with due to their neurodevelopmental immaturity.To adjust the demands to the child's actual level of functioning is important.

Official Title
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Anxiety Disorders in Children - Association With Neurodevelopmental Delay/Disorder and Temperament/Personality. A Clinical Case-control Study

Conditions
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Anxiety Disorders

Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: Clinical diagnosis of anxiety disorder or ADHD or no diagnosis Exclusion Criteria: Clinical diagnosis of PDD mental retardation children whose both parents do not speak Norwegian

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 7 Years
Maximum Age: 13 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Anx group<br> | |
| ADHD group<br> | |
| Nonanx/nonadhd group<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Diagnosis of anxiety disorder |  | 5 years | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Children's global assessment scale (CGAS) | The CGAS represents an assessment of the child's overall severity of disturbance with scores ranging from 1 (lowest functioning) to 100 (excellent functioning) | 5 years | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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anxiety disorders, children, neurodevelopmental disorder, neurodevelopmental delay, temperament