WHAT ARE AFRICAN-AMERICAN CHILDREN AFRAID OF .2. A 12-MONTH FOLLOW-UP

Research on children's fears has primarily focused on White children, and has been cross-sectional in nature. Research that examines fears across time or focuses on African American children's fears is sparse. We examined the stability of fears among 34 African American and 39 White elementary school children using the Revised Fear Survey Schedule for Children (FSSC-R) across a 12-month period. Across time, African American children's FSSC-R total fear scores were more stable than those of their White counterparts. Between-group comparisons indicated similarities in the rank ordering of fears. Regardless of race, sex, or grade, children's fears centered around harm befalling self or others.