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Table 1 Diagnostic features of the DSM-IV-TR anxiety disorders

From: Anxiety disorders in children with Williams syndrome, their mothers, and their siblings: Implications for the etiology of anxiety disorders

Disorder

Key diagnostic features

Separation anxiety

Excessive anxiety associated with separation from home or caregivers

Panic disorder

Panic attacks and persistent concern about the future recurrence of attacks as well as worry about the consequences of the panic

Specific phobia

Excessive fear of specific objects or situations, subsequent avoidance of those, and/or distress associated with exposure to these objects or situations

Social phobia

Excessive fear of social and performance situations and subsequent avoidance of and/or distress associated with exposure to the situation

Generalized anxiety disorder

Excessive worry or anxiety across a number of situations and events, which is hard to control

Obsessive-compulsive disorder

Persistent intrusive thoughts that may not make sense and/or repetitive driven behaviors that the individual performs in response to obsession or in accordance with specific rules

Posttraumatic stress disorder

Persistent re-experiencing of a traumatic event through intrusive recollections, dreams, or flashbacks

Acute stress disorder

Short-term re-experiencing, dissociation, distress, and avoidance of stimuli associated with exposure to extreme stress