School factors and anxiety disorder among Hispanic youth: Results from the 2016 US National Survey on Children’s Health

Abstract

Anxiety disorders continue to be a major mental health problem among Hispanic youth. A greater understanding of particular risk factors among this at-risk population may assist school health professionals in developing psychosocial interventions designed to mitigate this growing problem. The present study evaluated a variety of school factors related to anxiety among a national sample of Hispanic youth in the US. A secondary analysis of the 2016 National Children’s Health Survey was conducted. A total of 2,138 of Hispanic adolescents aged 12- to 17-years-old participated in the study. A sizeable percentage (10.9%) of Hispanic youth reported anxiety. Results from the final multivariate regression model indicated that bullying others or excluding them, being bullied or excluded by others, not doing all required homework, and school contact to parents about their child’s behavior were all significant risk factors for anxiety among Hispanic adolescents in the US. These risk factors should be considered when planning school health and psychology interventions for Hispanic adolescents in the US.