Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

ADad 3: The Epidemiology of Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India

  • Special Supplement on Adolescent Care Counseling
  • Published:
The Indian Journal of Pediatrics Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Objectives

Despite being the most common mental health concern, there is paucity of literature on the epidemiology of anxiety disorders among the adolescent population in India. This study aimed to estimate the period prevalence of Anxiety Disorders (AD) among 11 to 19 y old adolescents in India.

Methods

A representative sample of adolescents (N = 500) from a rural community in Southern India was assessed for the period prevalence of all and specific Anxiety Disorders using Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED), and confirmed in a subsequent interview with Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia for School-Age Children/Present and Lifetime Version (K-SADS-PL).

Results

The prevalence for all AD using the international, Indian SCARED cut-offs and DSM-IV-TR criteria was 8.6 % (boys = 2 %; girls = 6.6 %), 25.8 % (boys = 6.6 %; girls = 19.2 %) and 14.4 % (boys = 4.8 %; girls = 9.6 %) respectively. There were significant gender differences in the prevalence for all Anxiety Disorders (χ 2 = 3.61, df = 1; P < 0.05), Separation Anxiety Disorder (χ 2 = 22.27, df = 1; P < 0.001) and Social Anxiety Disorder (χ 2 = 4.29, df = 1; P < 0.03). Significant age difference in the prevalence of Panic Disorder (χ 2 = 10.32; df = 1; P = 0.00) and Generalized Anxiety Disorder (χ 2 = 5.87; df = 1; P = 0.05) was noted.

Conclusions

The prevalence of Anxiety Disorders in South Indian adolescents was higher than found in the western literature. Prevalence of specific AD was age and gender specific. Adolescent and mental health policies must integrate anxiety disorder of public health significance.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Costello EJ, Angold A, Burns BJ, Stangl DK, Tweed DL, Erkanli A, et al. The great smoky mountains study of youth. Goals, design, methods, and the prevalence of DSM-III-R disorders. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 1996;53:1129–36.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Shaffer D, Fisher P, Dulcan MK, Davies M, Piacentini J, Schwab-Stone ME, et al. The NIMH Diagnostic Interview Schedule for Children Version 2.3 (DISC-2.3): Description, acceptability, prevalence rates, and performance in the MECA study. Methods for the epidemiology of child and adolescent mental disorders study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1996;35:865–77.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Roberts RE, Roberts CR, Xing Y. Rates of DSM-IV psychiatric disorders among adolescents in a large metropolitan area. J Psychiatr Res. 2007;41:959–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Essau CA, Petermann F. Anxiety disorders in children and adolescents. Epidemiology, risk factors and intervention. MMW Fortschr Med. 1999;141:32–5.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Biederman J, Faraone SV, Marrs A, Moore P, Garcia J, Ablon S, et al. Panic disorder and agoraphobia in consecutively referred children and adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1997;36:214–23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Essau CA, Conradt J, Petermann F. Frequency, comorbidity, and psychosocial impairment of anxiety disorders in German adolescents. J Anxiety Disord. 2000;14:263–79.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Bittner A, Egger HL, Erkanli A, Jane Costello E, Foley DL, Angold A. What do childhood anxiety disorders predict? J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2007;48:1174–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  8. Wittchen HU, Stein MB, Kessler RC. Social fears and social phobia in a community sample of adolescents and young adults: Prevalence, risk factors and co-morbidity. Psychol Med. 1999;29:309–23.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Mehtalia K, Vankar GK. Social anxiety in adolescents. Indian J Psychiatry. 2004;46:221–7.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Shear K, Jin R, Ruscio AM, Walters EE, Kessler RC. Prevalence and correlates of estimated DSM-IV child and adult separation anxiety disorder in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Am J Psychiatry. 2006;163:1074–83.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Lewinsohn PM, Gotlib IH, Lewinsohn M, Seeley JR, Allen NB. Gender differences in anxiety disorders and anxiety symptoms in adolescents. J Abnorm Psychol. 1998;107:109–17.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Beesdo K, Lau JY, Guyer AE, McClure-Tone EB, Monk CS, Nelson EE, et al. Common and distinct amygdala-function perturbations in depressed vs anxious adolescents. Arch Gen Psychiatry. 2009;66:275–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Westenberg PM, Drewes MJ, Goedhart AW, Siebelink BM, Treffers PD. A developmental analysis of self-reported fears in late childhood through mid-adolescence: Social-evaluative fears on the rise? J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2004;45:481–95.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Marques SC, Pais-Ribeiro JL, Lopez SJ. Use of the “Mental health inventory - 5” with Portuguese 10–15 years old. Span J Psychol. 2011;14:478–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Russell PSS, Nair MKC. ADad 1: Rationale and study design for anxiety disorders among adolescents in a rural community population in India. Indian J Pediatr. 2013; doi:10.1007/s12098-013-1206-5.

  16. Birmaher B, Brent DA, Chiappetta L, Bridge J, Monga S, Baugher M. Psychometric properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED): A replication study. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1999;38:1230–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Russell PSS, Nair MKC, Russell S, Subramaniam VS, Sequeira AZ, Nazeema S, et al. ADad 2: The validation of the SCARED for anxiety disorders among adolescents in a rural community population in India. Indian J Pediatr. 2013; doi:10.1007/s12098-013-1233-2.

  18. Woodward LJ, Fergusson DM. Life course outcomes of young people with anxiety disorders in adolescence. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001;40:1086–93.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Breton JJ, Bergeron L, Valla JP, Berthiaume C, Gaudet N, Lambert J, et al. Quebec child mental health survey: Prevalence of DSM-III-R mental health disorders. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 1999;40:375–84.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Romano E, Tremblay RE, Vitaro F, Zoccolillo M, Pagani L. Prevalence of psychiatric diagnoses and the role of perceived impairment: Findings from an adolescent community sample. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2001;42:451–61.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Wells JE, Oakley Browne MA, Scott KM, McGee MA, Baxter J, Kokaua J. New Zealand Mental Health Survey Research Team: Te Rau Hinengaro: The New Zealand Mental Health Survey: Overview of methods and findings. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 2006;40:835–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  22. King NJ, Gullone E, Tonge BJ, Ollendick TH. Self-reports of panic attacks and manifest anxiety in adolescents. Behav Res Ther. 1993;31:111–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Wren FJ, Bridge JA, Birmaher B. Screening for childhood anxiety symptoms in primary care: Integrating child and parent reports. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2004;43:1364–71.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. Mattis SG, Ollendick TH. Nonclinical panic attacks in late adolescence prevalence and associated psychopathology. J Anxiety Disord. 2002;16:351–67.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Diler RS. Panic disorder in children and adolescents. Yonsei Med J. 2003;44:174–9.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Beesdo K, Knappe S, Pine DS. Anxiety and anxiety disorders in children and adolescents: Developmental issues and implications for DSM-V. Psychiatr Clin North Am. 2009;32:483–524.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Chavira DA, Stein MB. Combined psychoeducation and treatment with selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors for youth with generalized social anxiety disorder. J Child Adolesc Psychopharmacol. 2002;12:47–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Feehan M, McGee R, Raja SN, Williams SM. DSM-III-R disorders in New Zealand18-year-olds. Aust N Z J Psychiatry. 1994;28:87–99.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Vicente B, Saldivia S, de la Barra F, Kohn R, Pihan R, Valdivia M, et al. Prevalence of child and adolescent mental disorders in Chile: A community epidemiological study. J Child Psychol Psychiatry. 2012;53:1026–35.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Kashani JH, Orvaschel H. A community study of anxiety in children and adolescents. Am J Psychiatry. 1990;147:313–8.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. McGee R, Feehan M, Williams S, Partridge F, Silva PA, Kelly J. DSM-III disorders in a large sample of adolescents. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 1990;29:611–9.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Hale 3rd WW, Klimstra TA, Wijsbroek SA, Raaijmakers QA, Muris P, van Hoof A, et al. Developmental trajectories of anxiety disorder symptoms in adolescents: A five-year prospective community study. Tijdschr Psychiatr. 2009;51:21–30.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Conflict of Interest

None.

Role of Funding Source

Supported by an intramural grant from Child Development Centre, Thiruvanathapuram.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Child Development Centre, Thiruvananthapuram Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram, 695 011, Kerala, South India

    M. K. C. Nair, R. Abhiram Chandran, Suma Nazeema & Neethu Chembagam

  2. Child and Adolescent Psychiatry Unit, Christian Medical College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu, South India

    Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar Russell, Priya Mammen, Raman Krishnan & Devakumari Peter

Authors
  1. M. K. C. Nair
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Paul Swamidhas Sudhakar Russell
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Priya Mammen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R. Abhiram Chandran
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Raman Krishnan
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Suma Nazeema
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Neethu Chembagam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Devakumari Peter
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to M. K. C. Nair.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nair, M.K.C., Russell, P.S.S., Mammen, P. et al. ADad 3: The Epidemiology of Anxiety Disorders Among Adolescents in a Rural Community Population in India. Indian J Pediatr 80 (Suppl 2), 144–148 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-013-1097-5

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12098-013-1097-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation