Epidemiology
Present in all age groups, adult separation anxiety disorder (affecting roughly 7% of adults) is more common than childhood separation anxiety disorder (affecting approximately 4% of children).
The prevalence of SAD is usually cited as between 3.5% and 5.4%. However, a much higher percentage of children suffer from a smaller amount of separation anxiety, and are not actually diagnosed. Multiple studies have found higher rates of SAD in girls than in boys, and that paternal absence may increase the chances of SAD in girls.
Onset of SAD can either be acute or insidious. Children with acute onset usually make a full recovery, with no apparent long-term effects. Acute onset is usually due to a significant stressor in the child's life such as moving to a new house, moving to a new school, or the divorce of their parents.
Read more about this topic: Separation Anxiety Disorder