Sex differences in self‐reported anxiety in rural adolescents

Abstract

An anxiety disorder affects 13 out of every 100 children. The purpose of this paper is to determine if there are differences in self-reported anxiety between male and female rural adolescents. One hundred and ninety three students aged 14-17 years in three western Pennsylvania rural high schools, USA, were surveyed. The majority of participants were Caucasian (86.5%, n = 167), female (53.4%, n = 103), and aged 15.57 (SD = .93). Females' mean self-reported anxiety score was higher than the males' score (p < 0.0001). The females' mean score was 25.09 (SD = 13.83) (score ≥ 25 may indicate the need for further evaluation for the presence of a potential anxiety disorder) while the males' mean score (n = 90) was 16.88 (SD = 10.81). Of interest, all the five factors (specific types of anxiety) scores were significantly different between males and females at p < .05. Evidenced based implications for the mental health nurse's practice will be discussed. Anxiety screening is promoted to identify youth that may need mental health treatment and referrals, especially rural and female youth.

“… the thought that I could flip and die today made me feel anxious”: A study of the experienced emotions of novice white-water kayakers

“…However, a larger study or splitting the participant group along a gender continuum may have revealed a significant difference. This data is in line with other gender-based anxiety studies (Puskar et al, 2009), where females reported higher levels of anxiety than males. It has been suggested that females may be more inclined to reveal a true record of their feelings, whereas males may suppress their reporting as befitting of their burgeoning masculinity.…”

Measurement of anxiety in 3-9 year old children receiving nursing intervention

“… 27 , 28 However, the child’s age and developmental level are considered important factors that influence the anxiety levels between sexes. Puskar et al, 31 in their study of 193 adolescents aged 14-17 years demonstrated that females’ mean self-reported anxiety score was significantly higher than their male counterparts. Conversely, there was no difference in anxiety levels between 252 girls and boys aged 5-10 years attending a dental hospital.…”

Psychometric Properties of the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders in a Rural High School Population

“…The sample consisted of 193 students age 14–18 years ( M = 15.57, SD = 0.93) from three public high schools in rural southwestern Pennsylvania who were enrolled in a randomized‐controlled intervention study. Findings from the intervention study have been published elsewhere (Puskar, Bernardo, Ren, Stark, & Lester, 2009; Puskar & Grabiak, 2008; Puskar, Ren, Bernardo, Haley, & Stark, 2008). The participants were recruited from the 9th, 10th, and 11th grades.…”