Anxiety and Anxiety Disorders among Mexican Children and Adolescents

Anxiety and anxiety disorders are more common in children than adults, with an estimated prevalence of 9-21%, indicating a critical mental health issue in childhood. Without early culturally competent and transdiagnostic treatment, anxiety and anxiety disorders can lead to severe negative consequences in all life domains and extend to adulthood, causing impairment and increasing the cost for the individual and society. In Mexico, the prevalence of anxiety disorders among children and adolescents is still ambiguous. Gender and age differences have yet to be addressed, and most childhood cases of anxiety remain undetected and are left untreated. This cross-sectional research examined gender and age differences in anxiety and specific phobia (SP), social anxiety (SA), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and separation anxiety disorder (SAD) in a sample of 889 Mexican children and adolescents selected randomly. Several statistical analyses were conducted: descriptive, correlation, and gender and age differences. The main results revealed an interaction effect (gender x age group) for SP, SAD, and OCD. The findings obtained will help design culturally competent and gender and age-specific intervention strategies for addressing anxiety and its various disorders in Mexican children and adolescents, thus contributing to them having healthier developmental trajectories.