title: Prevalence and correlates of childhood fears in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
abstract: The prevalence of fear was explored in 340 adolescents in Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates. More than 50% reported feeling extremely frightened of 6 out of 60 fear items surveyed. These items were: someone dying in the family (66.5%), parents getting divorced (65.3%), the devil (63.8%), breaking a religious law (61.5%), being kidnapped (53.2%) and being adopted (49.9%). The level of fear showed a significant positive correlation with female gender, parental death/divorce, living with a single parent/relatives, living in low income families and an adverse home environment. Nearly half of the children reported that the fear caused considerable distress and interfered with daily activities.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, Al-Ain Hospital, Al-Ain, United Arab Emirates.
authors.forename: N A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Mohammed
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Eapen
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bener
mesh_terms: D000203:Activities of Daily Living; D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003643:Death; D004243:Divorce / Q000523:psychology; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family / Q000523:psychology; D005239:Fear; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008603:Mental Health; D011203:Poverty; D015995:Prevalence; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D002666:Psychology, Child; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014479:United Arab Emirates / Q000453:epidemiology