Generalized anxiety disorder: Prevalence, predictors, and comorbidity in children and adolescents

Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) is one of the most prevalent anxiety disorders among children and adolescents.

The purpose of this study is to determine the prevalence, sociodemographic variables, and comorbidity of GAD among children and adolescents to suggest the main predictors, using an analytical cross-sectional study.

Data were collected via a multistage random-cluster sampling method from 29,709 children and adolescents aged 6-18 years old in Iran. We used the Persian present and lifetime version of the Kiddie Schedule for Affective Disorders and Schizophrenia (K-SADS-PL). Then, we analyzed the data via descriptive analysis and multivariate logistic regression analysis methods.

The lifetime prevalence rate for GAD was 2.6 % (95 % Cl, 2.4%-2.8%). Overall, logistic regression analyses revealed five variables with significant unique contributions to the prediction of GAD. Significant predictors were: age, sex, mother history of psychiatric hospitalization, mother education, and residence. Participants with these risk factors were between 0.23-2.91 times more likely to present with GAD. Besides, the highest and lowest comorbidity rates of psychiatric disorder with GAD was 57.6 % and 0.3 % related to anxiety and eating disorders, respectively. Age or sex also affects the comorbidity of GAD and some mental disorders including behavioral, neurodevelopmental, elimination, and mood disorders.

This study, which was conducted in Iran, is located at the low end of the range of international estimates for GAD. Awareness of the predictors and comorbidity of GAD could be used in the prevention of GAD in children and adolescents.