Prevention Of Anxiety Symptoms Research Articles

A Comparison of Anxiety Symptoms in Community-Based Chinese and Italian Adolescents

Anxiety symptoms are one of the most common diseases in youth worldwide. However, there is still scant literature on the role that cross-cultural factors may play in the expression and development of anxiety. Our study is aimed to compare anxiety symptoms in community based Chinese and Italian adolescents using the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS). In addition to the SCAS, the 3416 adolescents (13–18 years old) involved in the study, filled in the strengths and difficulties questionnaire (SDQ). A multi-group factor analysis confirmed the adequacy of a 6-factor inter-correlated model across the countries. Results supported the convergent validity between the SCAS and the internalizing behaviours and the divergent validity between the SCAS and the externalizing problems, as measured by the SDQ. Chinese adolescents reported higher anxiety symptoms than Italian ones and girls scored higher than boys. No age differences were found. In addition, a comparison between the current research and previous studies conducted in China and Italy was carried out, showing few significant differences among the studies concerning the Italian samples. However, our Chinese adolescents reported greater anxiety symptoms compared to previous studies. Results support the use of the SCAS as a potentially valuable tool for assessing anxiety symptoms in both countries. The discussion highlighted the importance to consider cultural, as well as sub-cultural issues as to promote the understanding and prevention of anxiety symptoms in adolescence.

Prevention of Anxiety Symptoms in Children: Results From a Universal School-Based Trial

The present study evaluated the effectiveness of a universal school-based cognitive behavior prevention program (the FRIENDS program) for childhood anxiety. Participants were 638 children, ages 9 to 12 years, from 14 schools in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. All the children completed standardized measures of anxiety and depression, social and adaptive functioning, coping strategies, social skills, and perfectionism before and after the 10-week FRIENDS program and at two follow-up assessments (6 and 12 months) or wait period. Children who participated in the FRIENDS program exhibited significantly fewer anxiety and depressive symptoms, and lower perfectionism scores than children in the control group at 12-month follow-up. Younger children (9–10-year-olds) displayed treatment gains immediately after the intervention, whereas older children (11–12-year-olds) showed anxiety reduction only at 6- and 12-month follow-up. Perfectionism and avoidant coping acted as mediators of pre- to postintervention changes in anxiety scores. This study provides empirical evidence for the utility of the FRIENDS program in reducing anxiety and depressive symptoms among German children.

A Prospective Study of the Effects of Optimism on Adolescent Health Risks

The promotion of optimism has been widely advocated for children and adolescents, but epidemiologic data to support this approach are scant. This was a 3-wave longitudinal study of health and social development in younger adolescents from 3 Australian states. The 5634 student participants, initially aged 12 to 14 years, were assessed for optimistic thinking style, emotional problems, substance use, and antisocial behaviors. Cross-sectional associations between optimism and each of the study outcomes were strongly protective but tended to differ according to gender in extent. In prospective analyses of the onset of new cases of each study outcome, protective associations were weaker. Those in the highest optimism quartile had risks for depressive symptoms that were reduced by almost half (odds ratio: 0.54 [95% confidence interval: 0.42-0.70]) compared with those in the lowest category. No effect was seen in prevention of anxiety symptoms after adjustment for other aspects of psychological style. In predicting the onset of heavy substance use and antisocial behavior, high optimism had modest protective effects. Optimistic thinking style is somewhat protective against adolescent health risks; the clearest effects are seen against depressive symptoms. Promoting optimism along with other aspects of psychological and emotional style has a role in mental health promotion that is likely to be enhanced if an intervention also addresses risk and protective factors in an adolescent's social context.