Fears and Related Anxieties in Chinese High School Students

Abstract

Chinese students from different high school settings face unique academic and emotional challenges. They are in a very vulnerable position due to high parent and teacher expectations and pressure to succeed in college entrance examinations and honour the family and the school. They are also vulnerable due to possible inappropriate parenting practices. This study examined whether there were significant differences in the number and type of reported fears and related anxieties in students from different high schools by grade level and gender, controlling for perceptions of family atmosphere. This study also investigated whether, in general, the fears and anxieties self-reported by the chinese sample differed from the normative sample. Finally it examined whether the standardized measure of fears was able to capture the unique fears of chinese students. The findings indicate that the level of fears and related anxieties did not differ based on school and grade. Gender differences were evident. Positive family atmosphere was related to decreased level of anxiety. chinese high school students were found to report higher levels of fears and related anxieties than their Western counterparts.