Psychology Update — All Children 8 and Older Should Be Screened for Anxiety, U.S. Task Force Says

Posted May 16th, 2022 by David Berg & filed under Child Development, Introduction To Psychology, Personality, Psychological Disorders and Therapy, Psychology Update, Stress and Health Psychology.

TITLE

All Children 8 and Older Should Be Screened for Anxiety, U.S. Task Force Says

DESCRIPTION

This is an extremely important article for all levels of students in Psychology as well as the Professor. The article delineates the going crisis of mental health in children that is more evident now than ever as we move through this period of the pandemic. “The worsening state of mental health among children has prompted an influential group of experts to recommend for the first time screening all children ages 8 to 18 for anxiety, one of the most common mental health disorders of childhood. A draft of the new guidelines, which is open to public comment, will most likely be finalized later this year. It was issued on Tuesday by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a panel of volunteer experts appointed by a federal government agency to make recommendations to health care providers about clinical preventive care.” “Kids with behavioral problems are more likely to be identified as needing help, but if children with anxiety disorders aren’t causing problems at school or at home, they could easily “slip through the cracks,” he said. The pandemic has only continued to exacerbate the problems children have been experiencing.”

The article can be used in conjunction with chapters on child development, Abnormal/Psychopathology, and therapy and should be considered a must read.

SOURCE

New York Times, April 12, 2022, by Christina Caron

LINK TO RESOURCE

https://www.nytimes.com/2022/04/12/well/mind/children-anxiety-screening.html?smid=em-share

(Tiny URL) https://tinyurl.com/48rsukwu

CLASS DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:

•According to the article, what are the current observations regarding childhood psychopathology? What types of symptoms are being found in children screenings?

•Please list the the “signs” of mental health and behavioral changes that teachers and parents should be aware of to assess whether a child is experiencing a mental health problem.

•What are the recommendations for working with children who are having a mental health issue?