What is the minimum duration required in children and adolescents to diagnose Separation Anxiety Disorder?

• A. 2 weeks
• B. 4 weeks
• C. 6 weeks
• D. 8 weeks

Answer: (B)

The key idea is that the duration criterion for diagnosing Separation Anxiety Disorder in children and adolescents is four weeks. In this age group, symptoms must persist for at least a month and cause clear distress or impairment, beyond what’s developmentally typical. The four-week threshold helps distinguish a temporary phase of fear or worry from a clinically significant condition.

Two weeks is too brief to meet the diagnostic threshold. Six or eight weeks exceed the minimum, but the standard requires a minimum of four weeks for children and adolescents (with adults needing a longer duration, six months or more). This four-week minimum sets the developmental-appropriate benchmark for this disorder.