Observations on the role of anxiety in neurotic and psychotic disorders at an early age.

Abstract

A brief systematic review of general observations on the dynamics of pathological anxiety is presented on the basis of two related investigations. The first, involving 30 psychotic children, was supplemented by the second (briefly outlined in this report) involving 377 school children, 184 boys and 193 girls, ranging in age from 6 to 15 years. Pertinent clinical observations were recorded on checklists comprising 96 items grouped into several distinct categories. Anxiety was at a high peak of intensity around the 11th year of life. Girls exhibited higher degrees of anxiety than boys, and the contents of anxiety depended on age. The review of observations, reflecting the findings and also other selected material, covers the sources of anxiety, anxiety in neurotic and psychotic conditions, as well as defense mechanisms including “artistic productivity” within the framework of psychosis in childhood.