The co-occurrence between anxiety and depression symptoms among children with anxiety disorders is well-known, yet there is considerable heterogeneity in terms of explanatory factors. Although cognitive–affective processes have been hypothesized to play a prominent role, surprisingly, no research to date has examined the role of anxiety sensitivity in this co-occurrence. The present investigation examined the role of anxiety sensitivity in the co-occurrence of anxiety and depression symptoms among clinically anxious children. We expected that anxiety sensitivity would moderate the co-occurrence between anxiety and depression symptoms, such that higher anxiety would be related to higher depression among boys and girls with high (but not low) anxiety sensitivity. Participants (N = 44, age range = 8–12 years; 52% female; 52% African American) were interviewed with the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-IV: Children and Parent Versions and completed self-report measures of anxiety sensitivity, anxiety, and depression symptom severity. Controlling for child age, moderation analyses revealed that higher anxiety was related to higher depression only among girls with high anxiety sensitivity. Among girls with low anxiety sensitivity, the relation between anxiety and depression symptoms was not significant. Anxiety and depression symptoms were strongly correlated among clinically anxious boys irrespective of their levels of anxiety sensitivity. Anxiety sensitivity is an important factor related to anxiety–depression symptom co-occurrence among clinically anxious females in particular. Targeted interventions focused on anxiety sensitivity reduction may prove useful for reducing anxiety–depression symptom co-occurrence among clinically anxious girls. Future research should explore additional moderators that may explain the high correlation between anxiety and depressive symptoms observed among clinically anxious boys.

中文翻译：

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焦虑敏感性在临床焦虑儿童中并发焦虑和抑郁症状的调节作用

患有焦虑症的儿童中焦虑和抑郁症状之间的共存是众所周知的，但在解释因素方面存在相当大的异质性。尽管假设认知-情感过程在其中起着重要作用，但令人惊讶的是，迄今为止，尚无研究检查焦虑敏感性在这种共现中的作用。本研究调查了焦虑敏感性在临床焦虑儿童中并发焦虑和抑郁症状的作用。我们预计，焦虑敏感性会缓解焦虑和抑郁症状之间的共存，因此，焦虑敏感性高（但不低）的男孩和女孩，较高的焦虑与抑郁程度较高有关。参加者（N = 44，年龄范围= 8-12岁；女性52％；52％的非裔美国人）接受了《焦虑症访谈时间表IV：儿童和父母版本》，并完成了对自我报告的焦虑敏感性，焦虑和抑郁症状严重程度的自我评估。控制儿童年龄，适度分析显示，只有在具有高度焦虑敏感性的女孩中，较高的焦虑与较高的抑郁感相关。在焦虑敏感性低的女孩中，焦虑与抑郁症状之间的关系并不显着。焦虑和抑郁症状与临床焦虑男孩之间密切相关，而与他们的焦虑敏感性水平无关。焦虑敏感性是尤其是临床焦虑女性中与焦虑抑郁症状并发相关的重要因素。着重于降低焦虑敏感性的针对性干预措施可能有助于减少临床焦虑女孩中的焦虑抑郁症状并发。未来的研究应探索更多的缓和剂，这些缓和剂可以解释临床焦虑男孩中观察到的焦虑与抑郁症状之间的高度相关性。