ABSTRACT
Some of the most common questions parents ask when a child is diagnosed with an anxiety disorder pertain to causal factors. “How did this condition develop?” “Is it hereditary?” “Is it because of something I did or didn’t do?” Although over the past decade there have been considerable advances in understanding childhood anxiety disorders, as well as in the development of successful treatment strategies, there still is no defi nitive answer regarding questions of etiology. However, in recent years, there has been substantial advancement in understanding the roles of genetics, neurobiological, and psychological factors in facilitating the development of maladaptive anxiety states. At this juncture, what does appear likely is that there are multiple etiological pathways and that diff erent factors, and sometimes various combinations of factors, are important. Th e same disorder can develop in diff erent ways in diff erent children. In this chapter, those pathways for which there is the most empirical evidence will be discussed.
