School-related fears in children and their relationship to worries and anxiety in the twenty-first century Southern Africa

Fears have been shown to be common complaints that are implicated in a vari ety of other presenting problems, but it is not always clear how this arise s. This paper reports findings from a large-scale research project explorin g this possibility in school-age children. Using detailed measure, evidence is presented to show significant differences in the number, pattern and le vel of fears. The Southern African participants endorsed school fears at hi gher levels than their counterparts from another nation. However, boys and girls from low-income homes reported more fears and a higher level of fear than children of upper class homes. When interpreted within the cultural co ntext, it follows that the number of fears decreased with age and that cult ures that have fear-producing stimuli, and that favour inhibition and obedi ence serve to increase levels of fears.