Sex differences in self-reported anxiety in rural adolescents

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. In total, 193 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 years (SD = 0.93). The 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; a score >= 25 may indicate the need for further evaluation for the presence of a potential anxiety disorder), while the males' mean score was 16.88 (SD = 10.81). Of interest, all the five factor (specific types of anxiety) scores were significantly different between males and females at P < 0.05. Evidence-based implications for the mental health nurse's practice will be discussed. Anxiety screening is promoted to identify adolescents who may need mental health treatment and referrals, especially rural female adolescents.