Agreements between self- and parent-ratings of anxiety in elementary school children depending on gender

Theoretical background: Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental disorders in childhood. Low agreement between self- and parent ratings, gender differences, and lack of inclusion of child coping skills complicate the identification and assessment of anxiety symptoms and coping strategies. Objective: Only a few studies have analyzed the use of non-clinical, child-centered methods to diagnose anxiety. The present study examines the correspondence between parents' external ratings and children's ratings as a function of sex. In addition, it analyzes the role of children's coping skills. Method: We interviewed 207 primary school children using the Bochum Anxiety Procedure for preschool and primary school children (BAV 3 - 11, Mackowiak & Lenging, 2010) regarding their anxiety levels and coping skills in potentially anxiety-provoking everyday situations. In addition, we recorded the anxiety ratings of caregivers using the Diagnostic System of Mental Disorders according to ICD-10 and DSM-5 (DISYPS-III, Dopfner & Gortz-Dorten, 2017). Results: The results show that self- and other-judgments correlate, albeit at low levels. We found statistically significant correlations only for the girls. Correlations between self-rated anxiety experience and the mentioned coping strategies emerge consistently only for girls and not for boys. Discussion: We discuss sex role-specific reasons for these differential outcomes and the role of coping in the context of anxiety. The results highlight the relevance of the child's perspective in the early assessment of anxiety.