ICD-11 Criteria for Separation Anxiety Disorder (6B05) Separation anxiety disorder is characterised by marked and excessive fear or anxiety about separation from specific attachment figures. In children and adolescents, separation anxiety typically focuses on caregivers, parents or other family members and the fear or anxiety is beyond what would be considered developmentally normative. In adults, the focus is typically a romantic partner or children. Manifestations of separation anxiety may include thoughts of harm or untoward events befalling the attachment figure, reluctance to go to school or work, recurrent excessive distress upon separation, reluctance or refusal to sleep away from the attachment figure, and recurrent nightmares about separation. The symptoms persist for at least several months and are sufficiently severe to result in significant distress or significant impairment in personal, family, social, educational, occupational, or other important areas of functioning.