Prevention of anxiety disorders

Anxiety disorders have a high frequency, are persistent, and typically onset during childhood or adolescence. The majority of anxiety disorder sufferers first meet diagnostic criteria before the age of 18. Hence, the vast majority of anxiety prevention research has targeted children or adolescents, in school settings, using programs that focus on general anxiety rather than specific anxiety disorders. The majority of research on universal interventions that target child anxiety have been studies of school-aged children using the FRIENDS program. The Child Anxiety Prevention Study (CAPS) is a preventative intervention designed to reduce anxiety symptoms and prevent the onset of anxiety disorders among children of anxious parents, one of the strongest known risk factors. Indicated interventions target individuals at risk for a disorder based on early indicators or low-level symptoms of the disorder. Barriers to the implementation of prevention programs are also discussed in this chapter.