Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health challenges among youth today. Research indicates that nearly 9.4% of youth will experience an anxiety disorder at some point in their life (Bitsko et al., 2022). Further, the incidence of anxiety disorders in youth has increased considerably, particularly since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (Hafstad et al., 2021; Racine et al., 2020, 2021; Singh et al., 2020). Left untreated or undiagnosed, anxiety can negatively impact a child’s psychological functioning and well-being. Therefore, it’s important to consider the ways that parents and caregivers can help their child cope with their anxiety rather than reinforce it.
What are anxiety disorders?
Anxiety disorders are a group of psychiatric disorders outlined by the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-5-TR; American Psychiatric Association, 2022). The DSM-5-TR distinguishes between seven types of anxiety disorders:
1. Agoraphobia: Extreme fear or anxiety of a place(s) where escape may be difficult.
2. Generalized Anxiety Disorder: Excessive worry about everyday life occurrences.
3. Panic Disorder: Unexpected and repeated anxiety attacks marked by physiological symptoms.
4. Selective Mutism: An inability to speak in certain social settings.
5. Separation Anxiety Disorder: Excessive anxiety when separated from family members or close supports.
6. Social Anxiety Disorder: Irrational anxiety, self-consciousness, and embarrassment related to social interactions.
7. Specific Phobia: Extreme fear of something that is not actually dangerous.
How can parents and caregivers support their anxious child?
It is natural to feel overwhelmed as a parent or caregiver when your child is struggling with anxiety. Below are just a few of the many different ways that you can help support your child as they learn to manage their anxiety:
1. Validate your child’s emotions. By validating your child’s emotions, it can help them to feel loved and understood. However, it is important to note that validating your child’s emotions does not equate to agreeing with them. For example, your child could be anxious about going to the dentist. In this example, you can first validate their feelings – “I know that you feel scared to visit the dentist” but at the same time encourage brave behavior – “and I know that you can do this.” Validating your child’s feelings and encouraging brave behavior can help your child develop a sense of confidence in their ability to be brave.
2. Avoid accommodating your child’s anxious behavior. It can be natural to want to protect your child from their anxiety. However, in the long run, accommodating their anxiety can do more harm than good. The longer their anxious behaviors are maintained and reinforced, the harder it is to extinguish them (Ginsberg et al., 2004). One way parents or caregivers can facilitate and assist in accommodating their child’s anxiety is by providing excessive reassurance to their children. Rather than providing excessive reassurance, try to encourage your child to face their fears in a supportive environment. Research shows that gradual exposure to anxiety triggers can help children overcome their anxiety in the long term.
3. Ask your child open ended questions. Open ended questions are questions that cannot be answered with a simple “yes” or “no.” Rather, they are questions that encourage your child to discuss and elaborate upon what they are feeling. For example, you can ask, “How did you feel after John said he was moving?” as opposed to, “Were you sad when John said he was moving?” This can help your child reflect on their own emotional experience, which is a crucial factor in effectively managing their anxiety.
4. Model healthy ways of coping with anxiety. Modeling healthy ways of coping with anxiety is important for children because they often learn through their environment. As a parent or caregiver, you do not have to pretend like you do not experience anxiety. Rather, you can let your children hear and see you manage your anxiety. For example, you can use I feel statements with your children (in a developmentally appropriate way) about your own anxiety experience, such as: “I feel anxious because I may be late for work.” Then, you can model how you cope with your anxiety by stating: “To feel better, I am going to take five deep belly breaths.”
5. Seek professional help. If you believe that your child’s anxiety is impacting their daily life, it may be necessary to seek professional help. A mental health professional can help your child learn coping strategies, develop healthy habits, and work through their anxiety. To gain a referral, be sure to reach out to your child’s pediatrician.
References:
American Psychiatric Association (Ed.). (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders: DSM-5-TR (Fifth edition, text revision). American Psychiatric Association Publishing.
Bitsko, R. H., Claussen, A. H., Lichstein, J., Black, L. I., Jones, S. E., Danielson, M. L., ... & Ghandour, R. M. (2022). Mental health surveillance among children—United States, 2013–2019. MMWR supplements, 71(2), 1–42. http://dx.doi.org/10.15585/mmwr.su7102a1
Hafstad, G. S., Sætren, S. S., Wentzel-Larsen, T., & Augusti, E.-M. (2021). Adolescents’ symptoms of anxiety and depression before and during the Covid-19 outbreak – A prospective population-based study of teenagers in Norway. The Lancet Regional Health - Europe, 5, 100093. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanepe.2021.100093
Racine, N., Cooke, J. E., Eirich, R., Korczak, D. J., McArthur, B., & Madigan, S. (2020). Child and adolescent mental illness during COVID-19: A rapid review. Psychiatry research, 292, 113307. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113307
Racine, N., McArthur, B. A., Cooke, J. E., Eirich, R., Zhu, J., & Madigan, S. (2021). Global prevalence of depressive and anxiety symptoms in children and adolescents during COVID-19: A meta-analysis. JAMA Pediatrics, 175(11), 1142–1150. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapediatrics.2021.2482
Singh, S., Roy, D., Sinha, K., Parveen, S., Sharma, G., & Joshi, G. (2020). Impact of COVID-19 and lockdown on mental health of children and adolescents: A narrative review with recommendations. Psychiatry Research, 293. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2020.113429
