The DSM-5 includes three different anxiety disorders: in children, they typically cluster, making it difficult to separate one from another. These three are Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Separation Anxiety Disorder, and Social Anxiety Disorder. The major components of the criteria include:
For Generalized Anxiety Disorder, excessive worrying about events and activities such as school performance, difficulties controlling the worries, and other symptoms such as restlessness, fatigue, difficulties with concentration, irritability, and sleep problems.
For Separation Anxiety Disorder, a developmentally inappropriate and excessive fear of separation, worries about losing significant attachment figures, persistent fear of being alone, and difficulties going to sleep alone without being near an attachment figure.
For Social Anxiety Disorder, fear or anxiety in social situations such as social interactions and being observed or performing in front of others. The individual fears humiliation, and the social situations provoke anxiety and cause significant distress.
In children, anxiety disorders often occur as a triad: generalized, separation, and social. The symptoms are often mixed and blend with each other such that separating among them is both not practical and often not even necessary. It is well-known that there is a high frequency of emotional, depressive, and cognitive symptoms following sexual molestations in children.