Mental Health, Psychiatry and Wellbeing

This was a comparative study to assess age differences in the prevalence and severity of anxiety disorders (ADs) using the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED)-Child version. The sample were163 students (8-16 years) derived from Kabiria and Kawangware primary schools, in Dagoretti Constituency, Nairobi County Kenya. Quantitative data analysis using the statistical package for social sciences version 20 revealed presence of ADs (M ≥ 25) for most respondents (M8-16 years= 33.67, 79.1%). The severity and prevalence per age group were M 8-10 years=37.36, 83.3%; M 11-13

years=35.80, 87.7% and M 14-16 years = 30.58, 72.5%. The analysis of variance revealed statistically signifi cant age differences in severity of the ADs between the 8-10 and 14-16 year old (p=0.005) and the 11-13 and 14-16 year old (p=0.024) but not the 8-10 and 11-13 year old (p=0.570). Separation

anxiety and panic disorder were the most prevalent with higher prevalence rates among the 8-10 year old (SEP= 83.3%, PD= 81%) pointing to high comorbidity rates that start early. Social anxiety (M=8.28) and generalized anxiety (M=7.68) were more severe for the 11-13 year old. Overall, the results indicated early age of onset of ADs with severity moderated by increased age, but also a waxing and waning course across the lifespan. Findings thus highlighted the importance of early intervention to curb chronicity.