The longitudinal structure of general and specific anxiety dimensions in children: testing a latent trait-state-occasion model.
In an 8-wave, 4-year longitudinal study, 787 children (Grades 3-6) completed the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale (C. R. Reynolds & B. O. Richmond, 1985), a measure of the Physiological Reactivity, Worry-Oversensitivity, and Social Alienation dimensions of anxiety. A latent variable (trait-state-occasion) model and a latent growth curve model were applied to each of the 3 anxiety dimensions and to a general anxiety factor consisting of the 3 dimensions. Although the general anxiety factor reflected a significant stable trait process, the Worry-Oversensitivity and Social Alienation dimensions reflected an autoregressive process more than a stable trait dimension. In contrast to the other 2 anxiety dimensions, Physiological Reactivity reflected a significant stable trait process, suggesting that the longitudinal structure of anxiety in children depends upon the dimension assessed. In children as early as age 9 or 10, Physiological Reactivity (more than other anxiety dimensions) manifested a stable trait component. Structural findings were consistent across gender and race; however, mean differences in gender and race emerged for general anxiety and its 3 dimensions.
Olatunji
Bunmi O
BO
Department of Psychology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37203, USA. olubunmi.o.olatunji@vanderbilt,edu
Cole
David A
DA
D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000523:psychology; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008347:Manifest Anxiety Scale / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015146:Midwestern United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012918:Social Alienation / Q000523:psychology