Bibliographic information
GuidelineMental Health Gap Action Programme (mhGAP) guideline for mental, neurological and substance use disorders, [3rd ed.].
Year of Publication2023
Issuing InstitutionWorld Health Organization
Recommendation
New
Pharmacological interventions are not recommended in children and adolescents with anxiety disorders
Recommended against
Strong
Certainty of evidence
Low
Notes and Remarks
Remarks y Diagnosis of anxiety in children can be influenced by the cultural context and requires a comprehensive assessment of determinants at a family level and in the environment to reduce risks of overmedicalization.
Implementation considerations y Access to psychotherapy, particularly cognitive behavioural interventions and caregiver skills training, in line with other mhGAP recommendations, remains important for children with anxiety disorders and their caregivers.