Separation Anxiety Disorder

Healthcare providers diagnose separation anxiety disorder in adults by:

• Talking to you about your symptoms.
• Asking you to fill out a questionnaire or a set of questions focused on your symptoms and experiences. Your responses help your provider reach (or rule out) a separation anxiety diagnosis.

Diagnosing separation anxiety disorder in children involves talking to parents or caregivers, as well as the child. Your pediatrician may ask you (and your child, if they’re old enough) to fill out a questionnaire. They may also verbally ask you questions about your child’s behavior and what you’ve observed.

Providers may refer you or your family to a psychologist or psychiatrist for further support in reaching a diagnosis.

What are the criteria for diagnosis?

Healthcare providers use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5-TR®) to diagnose separation anxiety disorder and/or other mental health conditions that may be affecting you or your child.

According to the DSM-5-TR, a diagnosis of separation anxiety may be reached if all of the following are true:

• The person has at least three of the eight possible symptoms previously listed.
• The symptoms are persistent, lasting for at least four weeks in children or six months in adults.
• The symptoms cause the person much distress or interfere with their daily functioning (like going to school or work).
• Another diagnosis isn’t responsible for these symptoms.

For years, providers only diagnosed separation anxiety disorder in adults if they had a history of the condition as a child. But the DSM-5-TR changed this by classifying the condition as an anxiety disorder, rather than a disorder usually diagnosed before age 18. Providers now recognize that it can appear for the first time in adults at any age.

Diagnosing comorbidities

Providers also use the DSM-5-TR to diagnose comorbidities, which are other conditions a person has along with a primary diagnosis (in this case, separation anxiety disorder). It’s possible to have two or more mental health conditions, and combined, their symptoms may overlap or interact in ways that are difficult to untangle.

For example, it’s common for a child with separation anxiety disorder also to have generalized anxiety disorder or a specific phobia.

Adults with separation anxiety disorder commonly have one or more of the following comorbidities:

• Agoraphobia.
• Generalized anxiety disorder.
• Obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD).
• Panic disorder.
• Personality disorders.
• Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
• Social anxiety disorder.
• Specific phobia.
• Depression.

Identifying comorbidities allows providers to tailor treatment to a person’s unique needs. For example, treatment might involve different types of therapy or multiple medications.

Cultural differences

Some cultures value strong interdependence among family members. This might mean family members are very close and rely on each other more than in other cultures. Such interdependence isn’t the same as separation anxiety disorder. Healthcare providers take cultural differences into account when diagnosing this condition.