Essay --

Comparing Treatments for Generalized Anxiety Disorder in Children Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness among children, and therefore many studies have been conducted in an attempt to find the most successful treatment for a majority of sufferers. According to Comer (2013) is believed that anywhere from 8-29% of all children and adolescents experience an anxiety disorder sometime during their early life. Even more shocking, is the fact that most of these children go untreated: â€Å"Despite the high prevalence of childhood and adolescent anxiety disorders, around two-thirds of anxious children go untreated† (Comer, 2013, p. 521). Failure to address the existence of these problems in childhood and adolescence can be detrimental to future mental health, as it increases the risk of heightened psychological problems in adulthood (Comer, 2013, p.519). Therefore, it is imperative that different treatment methods be evaluated. Two methods that have been recently receiving more attention and research are drug therapy and cognitive-be havioral therapy. The investigation of both these treatments have produced mixed results, but continued research should provide more answers as to which treatment options yield the greatest results. Furthermore, there are different subtypes of each treatment method, and as displayed in the research findings included below, each with varying degrees of success. Psychopharmacology is a much-debated topic within the field of psychology and psychiatry, particularly for children and adolescents. Many fear that providing substances to children is unsafe, and are concerned about the immediate and long-term side effects. Due to the ambiguity of their success, there is much written about this drug use and ... ...ty and effectiveness, it is imperative that clinicians evaluate each patient and warning signs that could indicate complications with treatment. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is just as successful as drug therapy and has a number of advantages. Firstly, it directly addresses the false and anxious cognitions in children, and secondly, it teaches methods to cope in the future. Additionally, it is a better long-term treatment, and does not have the adverse effects of drug therapy. Finally, there are a number of different types of CBT, from individual to group to family, offering a variety of ways to help children with their anxiety. Each of these methods has their own advantages, especially those that include children’s peers or relatives, as they bolster the success of these treatments by reinforcing coping behavior and offering advanced and specific social support.