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Anxiety across the lifespan: A development perspective
J Brha,,. Thrr & Erp PAvrhiar. Vol 14, No. 2. pp. lY7-IYX. Pergamon Press Ltd Pnntcd in Great Britam.
1993
BOOK REVIEW Anxiety Across the Lifespan: A Developmental Perspective Edited
by C. G. LAST
ages, then this volume is an excellent work. The coverage of studies on incidence and prevalence of disorders at different ages is outstanding. The authors provide critical analyses of the research and cover most questions one may have about the age at which certain disorders tend to emerge, the co-existence of different anxiety disorders, familiar patterns of anxiety, and changes in disorders across the life span. However. if one is interested in mechanisms underlying anxiety in children. why there may be a relationship between childhood anxiety and adult psychopathology. or how environment may exert an influence on behavior, this volume is less satisfying. There are. throughout the book. enticing hints at theory. Silverman. for example, critiques the reliability and validity of the DSM III-R and concludes that the current classification schemes are less than adequate; a conclusion with which most readers will readily agree. She intrigues the reader by discussing the existence of other ideas about classification (such as developmental. taxometric and ecological approaches) but, alas. does not elaborate, stating that further discussion would be beyond the scope of the chapter. Her notation of the relevance of research in other areas of psychology (developmental, cognitive, perception) to understanding childhood anxiety is refreshing in a field which is increasingly fragmented. It is precisely thee developmental processes and their relationship to anxiety that I would have liked to read about, if not for space constraints. An interesting aspect of the volume is its reliance upon DSM-III-R and broad acceptance of the diagnostic classification. The medical model has certainly come into its own. een within behavioral circles. psychological theories (behavioral or otherwise) about anxiety are notably scarce. and many of the chapters could as easily have been discussing any medical diagnosis. One would be hard-put to speculate about the theoretical orientation of most of the authors. This is not necessarily a criticism. as the book is empirical and will be useful to a broader audience. Two chapters in the volume are particularly strong. Francis and Borden depart from a critical analysis of epidemiological data to include case examples with trcatment outcome data highlighting their major points. The reader can be sure these researchers hae treated individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorders - the flavor of which can be lost in general reviews of the literature. Another truly excellent chapter is that by Beidel and Stanley. While it purports to discuss developmental issues
This is an edited volume with contributions from many of those in the forefront of research on what is becoming a major area of interest: anxiety disorders in childhood. The introduction, by Cynthia Last, begins by underscoring Ollendick and Hersen’s (1983) observation that current understanding of childhood psychopathology is basically a downward extension of what we have learned from adults. She also notes that most books on anxiety we have learned from adults. She also notes that most books on anxiety focus either on the adult or child. Both of these observations appear well founded. Clinical child psychology is now at a point of considerable growth with the potential to use data collected on children rather than adults to answer basic questions. Research in developmental psychology is beginning to provide information about how and when changes occur. Therefore, this volume would appear to reflect these major advances. The stated purpose of the book, is to bridge the gap between what is known about adult and child anxiety disorders. The extent to which this volume successfully fulfills this goal depends upon what one is looking for, and how one defines the term “developmental perspetive”. The volume is a tour de force of epidemiology of childhood anxiety disorders. It provides thorough coverage of phenomenological and incidence/prevalence differences between children and adults for each of the specific anxiety disorders specified by DSM-III-R. While at times qucstioning aspects of the DSM-III-R. the book basically supports its overall approach to classification of syndromes. The authors call for more attention to developmental differences and inclusion of specific syndromes (school phobia, for example) in future diagnostic endeavors. All of the chapters arc well written. thorough and include a critical analysis of the research in each of the areas. Within the book, the chapters are well organized. The book begins by considering diagnostic criteria of anxiety disorders in children (as distinguished from adults) and deliniating the relationship between childhood anxiety and familial psychopathology. It moves to coverage of behavioral genetics of anxiety disorders, the expression and treatment of obsessure-compulsive disorder (OCD). and developmental issues in measurement of anxiety. In the final chapter. Last provides a well fitting overview of the major conclusions and future directions for research in each subcategory of anxiety. If one’s definition of a developmental perspective is differences in epidemiology and phenomonology across
I97
19x
Book
in measurement of anxiety, it goes far beyond that. It ix an impressive of rcscarch integration in perception, psychophystology. dcvclopmental and cognitive paychology. From this reviewer’s standpoint. it is only through such integration that clinical child psychology can advance. Thus. I would huy this book for this chapter alone. In sum, this volume is a welcome addition to the child anxiety field. It is comprehensive in its treatment of the research in the field. It will be particularly useful for researcher\, advanced graduate students. and other indi-
Review viduals interested in a scholarly overview art research in childhood anxiety.
of state-of-the-
1993
BOOK REVIEW Anxiety Across the Lifespan: A Developmental Perspective Edited
by C. G. LAST
ages, then this volume is an excellent work. The coverage of studies on incidence and prevalence of disorders at different ages is outstanding. The authors provide critical analyses of the research and cover most questions one may have about the age at which certain disorders tend to emerge, the co-existence of different anxiety disorders, familiar patterns of anxiety, and changes in disorders across the life span. However. if one is interested in mechanisms underlying anxiety in children. why there may be a relationship between childhood anxiety and adult psychopathology. or how environment may exert an influence on behavior, this volume is less satisfying. There are. throughout the book. enticing hints at theory. Silverman. for example, critiques the reliability and validity of the DSM III-R and concludes that the current classification schemes are less than adequate; a conclusion with which most readers will readily agree. She intrigues the reader by discussing the existence of other ideas about classification (such as developmental. taxometric and ecological approaches) but, alas. does not elaborate, stating that further discussion would be beyond the scope of the chapter. Her notation of the relevance of research in other areas of psychology (developmental, cognitive, perception) to understanding childhood anxiety is refreshing in a field which is increasingly fragmented. It is precisely thee developmental processes and their relationship to anxiety that I would have liked to read about, if not for space constraints. An interesting aspect of the volume is its reliance upon DSM-III-R and broad acceptance of the diagnostic classification. The medical model has certainly come into its own. een within behavioral circles. psychological theories (behavioral or otherwise) about anxiety are notably scarce. and many of the chapters could as easily have been discussing any medical diagnosis. One would be hard-put to speculate about the theoretical orientation of most of the authors. This is not necessarily a criticism. as the book is empirical and will be useful to a broader audience. Two chapters in the volume are particularly strong. Francis and Borden depart from a critical analysis of epidemiological data to include case examples with trcatment outcome data highlighting their major points. The reader can be sure these researchers hae treated individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorders - the flavor of which can be lost in general reviews of the literature. Another truly excellent chapter is that by Beidel and Stanley. While it purports to discuss developmental issues
This is an edited volume with contributions from many of those in the forefront of research on what is becoming a major area of interest: anxiety disorders in childhood. The introduction, by Cynthia Last, begins by underscoring Ollendick and Hersen’s (1983) observation that current understanding of childhood psychopathology is basically a downward extension of what we have learned from adults. She also notes that most books on anxiety we have learned from adults. She also notes that most books on anxiety focus either on the adult or child. Both of these observations appear well founded. Clinical child psychology is now at a point of considerable growth with the potential to use data collected on children rather than adults to answer basic questions. Research in developmental psychology is beginning to provide information about how and when changes occur. Therefore, this volume would appear to reflect these major advances. The stated purpose of the book, is to bridge the gap between what is known about adult and child anxiety disorders. The extent to which this volume successfully fulfills this goal depends upon what one is looking for, and how one defines the term “developmental perspetive”. The volume is a tour de force of epidemiology of childhood anxiety disorders. It provides thorough coverage of phenomenological and incidence/prevalence differences between children and adults for each of the specific anxiety disorders specified by DSM-III-R. While at times qucstioning aspects of the DSM-III-R. the book basically supports its overall approach to classification of syndromes. The authors call for more attention to developmental differences and inclusion of specific syndromes (school phobia, for example) in future diagnostic endeavors. All of the chapters arc well written. thorough and include a critical analysis of the research in each of the areas. Within the book, the chapters are well organized. The book begins by considering diagnostic criteria of anxiety disorders in children (as distinguished from adults) and deliniating the relationship between childhood anxiety and familial psychopathology. It moves to coverage of behavioral genetics of anxiety disorders, the expression and treatment of obsessure-compulsive disorder (OCD). and developmental issues in measurement of anxiety. In the final chapter. Last provides a well fitting overview of the major conclusions and future directions for research in each subcategory of anxiety. If one’s definition of a developmental perspective is differences in epidemiology and phenomonology across
I97
19x
Book
in measurement of anxiety, it goes far beyond that. It ix an impressive of rcscarch integration in perception, psychophystology. dcvclopmental and cognitive paychology. From this reviewer’s standpoint. it is only through such integration that clinical child psychology can advance. Thus. I would huy this book for this chapter alone. In sum, this volume is a welcome addition to the child anxiety field. It is comprehensive in its treatment of the research in the field. It will be particularly useful for researcher\, advanced graduate students. and other indi-
Review viduals interested in a scholarly overview art research in childhood anxiety.
of state-of-the-