Mechanisms of Sleep Disturbance in Children With Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD)

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders in children, affecting approximately 1 out of every 10 children and adolescents. Symptoms of anxiety disorders may include excessive fear/anxiety/worry, somatic complaints such as headaches and muscle aches, and impaired social and family relationships. Some children with anxiety also experience sleep problems, however, little is known about the sleep patterns of anxious children. The purpose of the study, conducted at Children\'s National Medical Center, is to examine the sleep characteristics of children with Generalized Anxiety Disorder (GAD) compared to a control group of children without GAD to see how sleep behaviors and daytime behaviors are related.