What describes Separation Anxiety Disorder and its duration criterion in children?

• A. Excessive fear or anxiety concerning separation from attachment figures, with distress and impairment; duration typically at least 4 weeks in children.
• B. Fears of separation only in adults.
• C. Occurs only in school-age children with no impairment.
• D. Non-separation fears with no impairment.

Answer: (A)

Separation Anxiety Disorder in children is defined by an excessive fear or anxiety about being separated from attachment figures (such as parents or caregivers), accompanied by distress at separation and significant impairment in daily functioning. A crucial part of the diagnosis is the duration: these symptoms must persist for at least four weeks in children. This duration helps distinguish a clinical disorder from typical, developmentally normal worry that children might have for shorter periods.

The emphasis on impairment means the distress isn’t just internal worry; it interferes with routines, school, social life, or relationships. This is why descriptions that mention fears occurring only in adults, or fears without any impairment, or fears that are non-separation-based, don’t fit the picture for pediatric separation anxiety.