The Anxiety Sensitivity in Children: Developmental Perspective

Introduction. Anxiety sensitivity (AS) is the fear of anxiety-related sensations due to beliefs that these sensations will lead to physical illness, social embarrassment, loss of control and mental incapacitation. AS plays a central role in the etiology and maintaining of fear and anxiety. This work examines the gender and age effect on the AS scores.
Method. Two hundred children aged 9 to 13 years completed the Childhood Anxiety Sensitivity Index (CASI).
Results. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses showed that the sex and the interaction Sex*Age explain significantly the CASI scores. The interaction indicated that girls have higher AS than boys at the age of 9, 10 and 11 but not to 12 and 13 years.
Discussion. Consistent with several studies, girls have higher CASI scores than boys. However, this difference disappears at the entrance of adolescence. This developmental observation is important in a prevention perspective of AS.