School Psychology Review, 2010, Volume 39, No. 1, pp. 106-121 School Functioning in Youth With and Without Anxiety Disorders: Comparisons hy Diagnosis and Comorbidity Matthew P. Mychailyszyn Temple University Julia L. Méndez University of North Carolina—Greensboro Philip C. Kendall Temple University Abstract. This article reports on school functioning for 227 youth ages 7-14 (M = 10.3) with principal diagnoses of separation anxiety disorder (n = 40), social phobia (n = 58), generalized anxiety disorder (n = 76), or no diagnoses (n = 53). School functioning data were gathered via parent and teacher report. Youth with no diagnoses demonstrated significantly higher levels of school functioning than those with separation anxiety disorder, social phobia, or gener- alized anxiety disorder. The specific anxiety-disordered groups were differenti- ated to some degree on parent and teacher report of school functioning. Analyses revealed that differences were often attributable to increasingly complex comor- bidity. These results underscore the need for services for youth with anxiety given the range of challenges they face in the school environment. Reviews of epidemiologic studies con- 2000), prevalence rates of anxiety disorders in elude that anxiety disorders are common and children and adolescents range from 2% to possibly the most prevalent category of disor- 27%, depending on age, measure/assessment der in youth (Albano, Chorpita, & Barlow, used, and assessment interval (Costello, 2003; Bernstein & Borchardt, 1991; Chavira, Egger, & Angold, 2004). Yet, despite initial Stein, Bailey, & Stein, 2004). Using diagtios- efforts (e.g., Phillips, 1978) and the high prev- tic criteria (e.g.. Diagnostic Statistical Manual aletice of anxiety disorders in youth, the rela- of Mental Disorders [4th ed., text rev.; DSM- tionship between anxiety and school functioti- IV-TR]; American Psychiatric Association, ing remains understudied. Surprisingly, a This research was supported by grants MH63747 and MH59087 funded by the National Institute of Mental Health. Correspondence regarding this article should be addressed to Matthew P. Mychailyszyn, Temple Univer- sity, Department of Psychology, Child and Adolescent Anxiety Disorders Clinic, 1701 North 13th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19122; E-mail: mmychai@temple.edu Copyright 2010 by the National Association of School Psychologists, ISSN 0279-6015, which has nonexclusive ownership in accordance with Division G, Title II, Section 518 of P.L. Law 110-161 and NIH Public Access Policy 106