GENDER DIFFERENCES IN ANXIETY AMONG UNDERGRADUATES FROM TEN ARAB COUNTRIES

Abstract

This study investigated gender differences in anxiety among volunteer undergraduates recruited from 10 Arab countries; Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Emirates, Oman, Egypt, Syria,Lebanon, Palestine (Nablus and Gaza), Jordan and Iraq (N = 3,064). The Kuwait University Anxiety Scale (KUAS) was used in its Arabic form. It was found that females had higher mean anxiety scores than did their male counterparts in all 10 countries. However, significant differences were found in 7 out of the 10 countries. The salient gender differences were interpreted in the light of a socialization process; especially sex-typing and gender roles.