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Repeated nightmares involving separation are a DSM-5 symptom criterion for separation anxiety disorder. However, research on nightmares and separation anxiety in clinical or non-clinical samples is scarce. To verify whether children's separation anxiety predicted nightmares' characteristics (frequency, distress and separation-related content), we conducted an online survey among 237 mothers of a 4- to 12-year-old child. Children's separation anxiety as assessed by a modified version of the Separation Anxiety Symptoms Inventory predicted frequent nightmares and bad dreams, dreaming of the parents' death (odds ratio [OR] = 2.65 [1.41, 4.98]) or of any separation theme (OR = 5.97 [2.64, 13.50]) during the last year, and dysphoric dream distress. The association between children's separation anxiety and dysphoric dream distress was mediated by dysphoric dream frequency. Our findings suggest that dysphoric dream distress may be a better marker of separation anxiety compared with frequency. Future studies in clinical samples are needed to determine whether the DSM-5 nightmare symptom criterion should be reviewed to emphasize the occurrence of any type of dysphoric dreams (bad dreams and nightmares), the presence of distress in relation to these dreams, and their specific content., Author(s): Valérie Simard [sup.1] [sup.2] , Anne Sara Morin [sup.1] , Sabrina Godin [sup.1] , Laurie Boothman [sup.1] , Anne-Julie Lavoie [sup.1] Author Affiliations: (1) grid.86715.3d, 0000 0000 9064 6198, [...]

Two studies explored the interplay between death awareness, attachment style, and maternal separation anxiety among first-time mothers of infants aged 3-12 months. In Study 1 (N = 60), a higher accessibility of death-related thoughts was found following induction of thoughts about separation from the infant. In Study 2 (N = 100), a mortality salience induction led to higher maternal separation anxiety. Contrary to expectations, these findings were not moderated by mother's attachment style. The results are explained in terms of Terror Management Theory, and demonstrate its applicability to maternal emotions and cognitions.

A study to examine the association between childhood separation anxiety disorder (SAD) and the risk of developing of psychopathology during young adulthood is conducted. Results show that SAD contributed to the risk for the development of internalizing disorders, which are panic and depression, but decreased risk for externalizing disorders, which are alcoholism and substance abuse.

To link to full-text access for this article, visit this link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.11.006 Byline: Robert F. Ferdinand, Ilja L. Bongers, Jan van der Ende, Willemijn van Gastel, Nouchka Tick, Elisabeth Utens, Frank C. Verhulst Keywords: Children; Adolescents; Anxiety; Taxonomy; MASC Abstract: Separation anxiety and social phobia are intertwined to a considerable degree, and high comorbidity rates have been reported. The present study used latent class analysis (LCA) to investigate if classes of children and adolescents with -- simultaneously -- high rates of separation anxiety and low rates of social anxiety symptoms, or vice versa, could be identified. Eight- to 18-year-olds from a large general population (n=1000) and referred sample (n=735) were assessed with the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC). With LCA, a separate class of referred 8-11-year-old children with high separation anxiety scores, and simultaneously lower social anxiety scores was identified, next to a class of children with high scores on separation anxiety and social anxiety. In the other groups (referred 12-18-year-olds and children and adolescents from the general population), a class with individuals who specifically scored high on separation anxiety could not be revealed. The results indicated that separation anxiety represents a different construct than social anxiety in referred children (but not in referred adolescents or in the general population). It can be concluded that, in referred children, research regarding etiology and treatment outcome of anxiety symptoms should be aimed specifically at separation anxiety and social anxiety, instead of just investigating a broader anxiety dimension. Author Affiliation: Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Erasmus Medical Center/Sophia Children's Hospital, Dr. Molewaterplein 60/P.O. Box 2060, 3000 CB Rotterdam, The Netherlands Article History: Received 28 July 2005; Revised 3 November 2005; Accepted 10 November 2005

Separation anxiety and social phobia are intertwined to a considerable degree, and high comorbidity rates have been reported. The present study used latent class analysis (LCA) to investigate if classes of children and adolescents with--simultaneously high rates of separation anxiety and low rates of social anxiety symptoms, or vice versa, could be identified. Eight- to 18-year-olds from a large general population (n = 1000) and referred sample (n = 735) were assessed with the Multidimensional Anxiety Scale for Children (MASC). With LCA, a separate class of referred 8-11-year-old children with high separation anxiety scores, and simultaneously lower social anxiety scores was identified, next to a class of children with high scores on separation anxiety and social anxiety. In the other groups (referred 12-18-year-olds and children and adolescents from the general population), a class with individuals who specifically scored high on separation anxiety could not be revealed. The results indicated that separation anxiety represents a different construct than social anxiety in referred children (but not in referred adolescents or in the general population). It can be concluded that, in referred children, research regarding etiology and treatment outcome of anxiety symptoms should be aimed specifically at separation anxiety and social anxiety, instead of just investigating a broader anxiety dimension. Keywords: Children; Adolescents; Anxiety; Taxonomy; MASC

It sometimes seems that the college experience is tailor-made for the development of eating disorders. Overwhelmed and bombarded by their feelings, college students often turn to behavioral means, like eating disorders, to cope. Contemporary research (e.g., Christenson et al., 1994) has shown that good and bad emotions alike can be managed by starvation, bingeing, overeating, purging, and/or obsessive exercise. For college students, many of the overwhelming feelings that are titrated by eating disorders are directly linked to the separation process. Adolescence has been called 'a second individuation.' While Mahler et al. (1975) viewed separation-individuation as both a developmental stage and a lifetime's work, contemporary therapists often concentrate on the importance of early separation experiences. A postmodern perspective, however, recognizes the importance of connection as well as separation. Our culture is so focused on independence that many parents of college students do not recognize the importance of maintaining active contact with their older adolescents. It can be very helpful to view an eating disorder as representing a college student's attempt to negotiate separation and connection, dependence and autonomy. This article examines some of these dynamics and the implications for therapy with this population. KEY WORDS: separation-individuation; adolescence; eating disorders; college students; bulemia; anorexia; attachment.

A longitudinal examination of the relation between separation experiences and the development of separation anxiety at age 3, 11 and 18 years was conducted. Three associative pathways (Rachman, S.J. (1978). Fear and courage. San Francisco: W.H. Freeman) were assessed. Conditioning events were not related to separation anxiety at age 3. Vicarious learning (modelling) in middle childhood (age 9 years) was the conditioning variable most strongly related to separation anxiety at age 11, accounting for 1.8% of the variance in symptoms. Separation experiences (hospitalisations) before the age of 9 were inversely correlated with separation anxiety at age 18. That is, more overnight hospital stays in childhood were related to less separation anxiety in late adolescence. However, none of these conditioning correlates remained significant predictors of separation anxiety in adjusted regression models. In contrast, certain 'planned' separations in early-mid childhood were associated with lower levels of separation anxiety at later ages. Generally, the findings were consistent with predictions from the non-associative theory of fear acquisition. That vicarious learning processes appeared to modulate, albeit to a minor degree, the expression of separation anxiety during mid-late childhood suggests that there may be critical periods during which some individuals are susceptible to the interactive effects of both associative and non-associative processes. These findings serve to illustrate the complexity of fear acquisition, the relevance of developmental factors and the likely interplay between associative and non-associative processes in the etiology of fear and anxiety.

Maternal separation anxiety was examined in the context of attachment concerns regarding spouse and infant's temperament.

Military personnel deployed to the Middle East included an unprecedented number of women, many of whom were mothers. Using a structural equation modeling approach, we examined the predictors of children's adjustment problems in data collected from a representative sample of 263 Air Force mothers 2 years after the Gulf War. Using a retrospective survey, we found that the main predictors of children's adjustment problems at the time of the war were mothers' difficulties in providing for the care of the children, mothers' deployment in the theater of the war (vs. deployment elsewhere), and degree of change in children's lives. Most important, war-related adjustment problems were not related to children's adjustment 2 years later, suggesting that the effects of maternal separation during the war were transient.

The Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) is a child self-report measure designed to evaluate symptoms relating to separation anxiety, social phobia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, panic-agoraphobia, generalized anxiety and fears of physical injury. The results of confirmatory and exploratory factor analyses supported six factors consistent with the hypothesized diagnostic categories. There was support also for a model in which the 1st-order factors loaded significantly on a single 2nd-order factor of anxiety in general. The internal consistency of the total score and subscales was high and 6 month test-retest reliability was acceptable. The SCAS correlated strongly with a frequently used child self-report measure of anxiety. Comparisons between clinically anxious and control children showed significant differences in total SCAS scores, with subscale scores reflecting the type of presenting anxiety disorder of the clinical samples. Keywords: Anxiety disorders; Children; Confirmatory factor analysis; Assessment; Spence Children's Anxiety Scale

The present study examined gender and age differences in adjustment among children whose parents have separated. Measures designed specifically to assess family functioning during the divorce process (the Divorce Adjustment Inventory - Revised, and Child Divorce Adjustment Inventory), along with a measure of self-esteem and interviews with children, provide an in-depth exploration of the experience of families during the transitional period of separation. Results indicate that (1) parents of girls reported higher resolution of the separation, (2) high self-esteem for girls was mediated by residential parents' high socioeconomic status, (3) older children exhibited higher adjustment than younger children, and (4) father-headed families indicated higher adjustment before and after separation. Using a model of divorce as a process, results are discussed in relation to findings from studies of post-divorce and pre-separation families to provide a more complete picture of the divorce experience and child adjustment to that experience.

Most children of agoraphobic parents (68%) meet one or more criteria of the DSM-III-R diagnosis; they also report more fear and anxiety than children of non-agoraphobic parents. This is probably because they have less perceived control over negative events than children of non-anxious parents. The most common problem among these children is separation anxiety disorder, found in 56%. Agoraphobic mothers have a high degree of separation anxiety and visualize less positive effects of separation from their children than non-agoraphobic mothers. The results of the study indicate that the families of agoraphobic parents have a general tendency for anxiety.

The examination of reliability and validity of an adapted version of the Separation Anxiety Test (SAT) for 8-12 year olds establishes inter-retest reliability. The test-retest reliability and internal test construction were not as satisfactory. These have to be developed further before further application of SAT in a clinical setting. The test did prove SAT's validity in making the important distinction between scoring the self and the other and the merit of analyzing SAT responses in a broader qualitative context.

Within a framework of attachment, developed by John Bowlby, the anxiety disorder of agoraphobia (fear of leaving familiar surroundings, especially when alone) is conceived as a condition of anxious attachment, related to fear of separation from those with whom one has formed affectional bonds. Bowlby attributes this anxiety to earlier separation or loss experiences or threat of separation. Uncertain about his/her attachment figures, the person is prone to separation anxiety and clinging behavior and lacks confidence for exploring the world and dealing with stressful situations. Psychotherapy offers a temporary attachment relationship, a secure base from which to explore and understand the effects of these experiences in order to develop more self reliance in relationships with others.

Children of separating or divorcing parents seldom escape suffering psychological stress, particularly when the parents are in open conflict. How much should such children be allowed to suffer? The author discusses the problem of defining the terms 'emotional child abuse' and 'psychological maltreatment' as they are used in the literature. Reviewing the common behavioral patterns that children in this situation resort to and the roles that they tend to take upon themselves, he attempts to distinguish between those instances of stress that can be regarded as acceptable and those that must be considered harmful. With respect to children in this situation, the following behavior patterns are discussed: (a) the inclination of the child to sacrifice itself for the sake of the parents, in particular for the 'weaker' one; (b) the tendency of the children to reach agreements among themselves about how they should be divided up; (c) the phenomenon of parentization in which the child assumes the role of the substitute partner for one or the other parent; and (d) the child's discovery of both its power and its helplessness with respect to the situation and the feelings of guilt awakened by this discovery.

The impact of parental separation and divorce on adopted and nonadopted children was examined. Although children from nonintact homes showed poorer adjustment than did children from intact homes, the results were comparable for adoptees and nonadoptees. In addition, life stress associated with marital disruption was found to account for the majority of children's adjustment problems.

A longitudinal study of a nonclinical sample of 6- to 12-year-old children of divorcing parents examined the incidence, antecedents, and correlates of feelings of self-blame about parental separation during the first 18 months after the breakup. About one third of the children reported some feelings of self-blame at 6 months after the separation; 1 year later this figure had dropped to 20%. Being caught in triadic relations with the two parents was associated with self-blame, but parental disagreement over child rearing and a history of physical, mental, or school problems were not. The consequences of self-blame for children's adjustment to the separation were primarily negative, according to self-, mother, and teacher ratings. Children who reported feelings of self-blame had lower perceived competence, more psychological symptoms, and more behavior problems.

The continued attachment to parents and peers in adults has been examined in two ways: the individual difference approach, examining characteristic attachment styles across relationships, and the general intensity approach, examining the salience of emotional and behavioral reactions to a particular separation. The present study examines the intensity of attachment to parents at the transition to college. This voluntary separation from parents was expected to elicit heightened attachment for college students, especially residential students, which would decrease over time. In addition, it was expected that high levels of parental attachment at the beginning of college would predispose students to later depression. Results indicate that parental attachment decreases during the first semester of college only for residential students. In addition, maternal attachment is significantly higher for females than for males. Finally, high levels of parental attachment in males at the beginning of college were predictive of high levels of depressed mood at the end of the first semester, while no relationship was found for females.

A study of 98 mother-child pairs investigated separation intolerance at age three in terms of temperament and attachment security. Results suggested that interaction of temperamental proneness to distress and secure attachment history leads to intolernace of a lengthy laboratory separation at this age. A hypothesis that intolerance of separation in such a context represents adaptive coping for distress-prone children was tested and received support.

A mother-child separation stimulus was repeatedly presented by standard Defense Mechanism Test procedure, at increasing durations of tachistoscopic exposure to 60 clinical and nonclinical subjects. Subjective verbal reports were coded blindly for evidence of perceptual distortions presumably indicative of denial of separation anxiety. Low scorers on two items measuring sensitivity to separation anxiety and intolerance of aloneness were, as predicted, significantly more often characterized by codings of denial on the tachistoscopic exposures than subjects with high sensitivity to separation anxiety. Stability of effect became stronger when only very low and very high scorers were compared for perceptual denial on the last four presentations of the series. This technique, employing other types of anxiety-evoking stimuli, may represent a reliable instrument to reveal the presence of defences toward each of the most relevant conflictual areas of the personality.

Toddlers' use of effective attention deployment strategies to cope with separation from the mother and with maternal behavior predicted the use of effective delay-of-gratification strategies at age 5, even though the contexts, measures, and manifest behaviors were different. Toddlers who used distraction strategies during a brief separation from the mother were able, at age 5, to delay immediate gratification longer for more valued rewards. Toddlers who explored at a distance from a controlling mother when she tried to engage the child also delayed longer and used more effective delay strategies at age 5, compared with toddlers who did not distance themselves. Toddlers whose mothers were not controlling showed the opposite pattern: Those who did not distance themselves from the mother's bids had longer preschool delay times and more effective strategies. Strategic attention deployment was shown to be an enduring self-regulatory skill visible in early development across domains, measures, and over time.

Mothers' and fathers' responses on the Maternal Separation Anxiety Scale (MSAS) were compared and parental characteristics were investigated for their ability to predict the parents' responses on this scale. The [...]

Attachment behaviors of 105 toddlers were observed as the children separated from significant caregiver(s) at child care. Analysis indicated that children attached to a transitional object and using the object when separating engaged in ritualistic touching behaviors directed at a variety of targets. Results lend some support to the notion of transitional objects facilitating separation and reducing anxiety in mildly stressful situations.

The relationship of timing of early parental separation to psychosocial development of daughters was examined in 77 girls, 6-9 years of age over a four-year period Disruptive behavior across contexts was prevalent in girls separated between birth and two years of age. Girls separated between three and five years of age showed more externalizing behavior problems, but only in school. Results suggest that early parental separation has more pervasive and stable negative effects on psychosocial adjustment of girls in this age group in single-parent families. Implications of the findings and directions for research are discussed.