Evaluation of factors affecting on the incidence of anxiety disorders and generalized anxiety in children in Bushehr in 2019

Anxiety disorders are the most common mental disorders in children, which are highly prevalent in Iran. Identifying the causes and early diagnosis of this group of disorders can minimize its long-term effects. The aim of this study was to investigate the factors affecting in the incidence of generalized anxiety and anxiety disorders in children in Bushehr.

This cross-sectional study was conducted in Bushehr in 2019. The study population consisted of all children aged 4 to 6 years of preschool and kindergartens of this city, among whom a sample of 428 was selected by multi-stage cluster sampling method. The research instrument was the Spence Anxiety Inventory (Parent Form). In order to describe and analyze the data, descriptive statistics (frequency and percentage) and based statistics (one-way analysis of variance and Scheffe post hoc test) were used at a significant level of 5% in SPSS software version 24.

The number of family members (p-value = 0.003), father's education (p-value = 0.001) and mother's education (p-value = 0.001), father's employment status (p-value = 0.03) and parental separation (p-value = 0.002), type of caregiver (p-value < 0.001) and unpleasant events history (p-value < 0.002) were effective in the incidence of generalized anxiety in children. Also, all types of anxiety disorders, parents' education level, unpleasant event history and number of family members (except in physical injuries) have played a role.

According to the findings of this study, social and cultural factors of the family play a major role in children's anxiety. Therefore, it is necessary that parents' education to be considered by health policy makers to prevent children from developing anxiety.