Psychologist Walid Al-Zahrani confirmed that separation anxiety is one of the most prominent psychological disorders affecting children. It is characterized by an excessive fear of being away from parents or home, accompanied by severe distress and physical symptoms such as headaches and abdominal pain. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) requires the problem to persist for at least four weeks to diagnose separation anxiety disorder. Causes may include life stresses such as parental divorce, moving to a new school, or the death of a close person, as well as genetic factors and excessive attachment to parents. Symptoms include fear of losing parents or them being harmed, excessive clinginess, refusal to participate in activities that require separation, difficulty sleeping alone, frequent nightmares, and physical manifestations like vomiting or headaches.

Treatment methods include establishing a fixed routine, using reassurance through speech and touch, and providing the child with favorite transitional toys to help reduce anxiety. Al-Zahrani recommended play techniques like the “disappearance” game to teach the child that people remain present even when absent, and emphasized empowering the child to make simple decisions to enhance independence. He stressed the importance of accompanying the child at school during the first weeks and gradually increasing separation, along with cognitive behavioral therapy that provides psychological exercises to help the child overcome this issue.