Sex variations in youth anxiety symptoms: Effects of pubertal development and gender role orientation

Rona Carter, Wendy K. Silverman, James Jaccard

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

This study evaluated whether pubertal development and gender role orientation (i.e.,masculinity and femininity) can partially explain sex variations in youth anxiety symptomsamong clinic-referred anxious youth (N=175; ages 9-13 years; 74% Hispanic; 48%female). Using youth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms, structural equationmodeling results indicated that youth who reported being more advanced in their pubertaldevelopment reported high levels of femininity and anxiety symptoms. Youthwho reportedhigh levels of masculinity had low levels of anxiety symptoms as reported by both youthsand parents. The estimated effects of pubertal development, femininity, andmasculinity onyouth and parent ratings of youth anxiety symptoms were not significantly moderated bybiological sex. Pubertal development and gender role orientation appear to be important inexplaining levels of youth anxiety symptoms among clinic-referred anxious youth.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)730-741
Number of pages12
JournalJournal of Clinical Child and Adolescent Psychology
Volume40
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2011

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Developmental and Educational Psychology
  • Clinical Psychology

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