Fears in young children are a part of normal development, as is evidenced by numerous studies that demonstrate that approximately 90% of American children have at least one fearful reaction between the ages of 2 and 14. Anxiety disorders are among the second most common psychiatric disorders among children and adolescents, affecting approximately 10% of all youngsters under the age of 18. Childhood Anxiety Disorders presents information on childhood fears, anxiety and anxiety disorders for mental health professionals. Although firmly rooted in the current scientific research, theory, and discussion, the book is written in a style that is free from technical jargon, making it highly readable. Using the latest research data, this book examines childhood anxiety disorders, including their etiology, psychopathology, and treatment (both pharmacological and psychological). Chapters are devoted to each of the anxiety disorders listed in the DSM-IV-TR Manual, and other chapters cover the fears associated with medical procedures, chronic medical illnesses, and somatic conditions that may develop or are maintained by stress and anxiety, as these are commonly occurring conditions in children and adolescents.
Dr. Beidel received her Ph.D. in 1986 from the University of Pittsburgh. Before joining the faculty at the University of Central Florida where she is Professor of Psychology and Director of the Doctoral Program in Clinical Psychology at the University of Central Florida, she was on the faculty at the University of Pittsburgh, Medical University of South Carolina, University of Maryland- College Park, and Penn State College of Medicine-Hershey Medical Center. Currently, she holds American Board of Professional Psychology (ABPP) Diplomates in Clinical Psychology and Behavioral Psychology and is a Fellow of the American Psychological Association and the American Psychological Society. She is a past Chair of the American Psychological Association's Committee on Accreditation, the 1990 recipient of the Association for Advancement of Behavior Therapy's New Researcher Award, and the 2007 recipient of the Samuel M. Turner Clinical Researcher Award from the American Psychological Association. She is the author of over 200 scientific publications including journal articles, book chapters and books.
While at the University of Pittsburgh, Dr. Beidel was twice awarded the "Apple for the Teacher Citation" by her students for outstanding classroom teaching. In 1995, she was the recipient of the Distinguished Educator Award from the Association of Medical School Psychologists. At the University of Central Florida, she teaches abnormal psychology at both the undergraduate and graduate level.
