Symptoms of anxiety and associated risk and protective factors in young Asian American children

Child Psychiatry Hum Dev. 2012 Oct;43(5):761-74. doi: 10.1007/s10578-012-0295-0.

Abstract

Anxiety is one of the most prevalent mental health problems in young children but there has been a dearth of studies focusing on Asian American children. This study examines the patterns and the predictors of childhood anxiety and related symptoms in young children in a diverse Asian American (ASA) sample (n = 101). Findings indicate that ASA children are at higher risk for anxiety, somatization, and depressive problems than their peers. Parents' level of acculturation (i.e., American identity, English competence), parental negative emotion socialization, conflicted parent-child relationship, child emotional knowledge and adaptive skills, as well as teachers' ethnic background and school class types were all associated with ASA children's anxiety. A combination of cultural, family, and school factors explained from 17 to 39 % of the variance in anxiety symptoms. Findings inform prevention services for young ASA children.

Publication types

  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Acculturation
  • Adaptation, Psychological
  • Adult
  • Anxiety* / etiology
  • Anxiety* / prevention & control
  • Anxiety* / psychology
  • Asian / psychology
  • Behavioral Symptoms / ethnology
  • Child Behavior* / ethnology
  • Child Behavior* / psychology
  • Child, Preschool
  • Cultural Diversity*
  • Depression* / etiology
  • Depression* / prevention & control
  • Depression* / psychology
  • Emotional Intelligence
  • Family Relations / ethnology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Parenting* / ethnology
  • Parenting* / psychology
  • Parents / psychology
  • Preventive Psychiatry / methods
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Social Adjustment