Salivary oxytocin in clinically anxious youth: Associations with separation anxiety and family accommodation.

TitleSalivary oxytocin in clinically anxious youth: Associations with separation anxiety and family accommodation.
Publication TypeJournal Article
AuthorsLebowitz, E. R., J. F. Leckman, R. Feldman, O. Zagoory-Sharon, N. McDonald, and W. K. Silverman
PubMed ID26716876
PubMed Central IDPMC4895196
Grant ListK23 MH103555 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States
K23MH103555 / MH / NIMH NIH HHS / United States

Clinical anxiety disorders in youth are common and associated with interpersonal behaviors including reliance on parents for family accommodation, or changes that parents make to their own behaviors to help the youth avoid anxiety related distress. The neuropeptide oxytocin is associated with the regulation of anxiety and of close interpersonal behavior leading to the hypothesis that oxytocinergic functioning plays a role in youth anxiety and its disorders, and the resulting family accommodation. To test this hypothesis salivary OT from 50 youth with primary DSM-5 anxiety disorders was assayed. A multi-source/multi-method anxiety assessment including semistructured interviews with youth and mothers, rating scales, and behavioral observations was used to assess anxiety disorders and symptoms, and family accommodation. Youth with separation anxiety disorder had significantly lower salivary OT levels than clinically anxious youth not diagnosed with separation anxiety disorder. Salivary OT levels were significantly negatively correlated with separation anxiety symptoms based on both youth- and mother-ratings. Anxious behavior displayed by youth during interactions with their mothers was associated with lower salivary OT levels in youth. Maternal ratings of family accommodation were negatively associated with salivary OT levels in youth. Results support the role of the oxytocinergic system in youth anxiety and its disorders and in parental involvement in youth anxiety through family accommodation. OT may be particularly important for diagnoses and symptoms of separation anxiety, which is inherently interpersonal in nature. Findings have potentially important implications for assessment and treatment of anxiety in youth.

Title Salivary oxytocin in clinically anxious youth: Associations with separation anxiety and family accommodation.
Publication Title Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publication Type Journal Article
Published Year 2016
Authors E.R. Lebowitz; J.F. Leckman; R. Feldman; O. Zagoory-Sharon; N. McDonald; W.K. Silverman
ISSN Number 1873-3360
PubMed ID 26716876
PubMed Central ID PMC4895196
Grant List
K23 MH103555 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States
K23MH103555 MH NIMH NIH HHS United States

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