Related Experiment Video
Updated: Mar 10, 2026

Using the Threat Probability Task to Assess Anxiety and Fear During Uncertain and Certain Threat
Published on: September 12, 2014
Coping and behavior as predictors of childhood anxiety: an SEM-based analysis in school-going children
Archana Chhetri1, Samrat Singh Bhandari2, Sonam Ongmu Lasopa1
1Department of Psychiatry, New Sir Thutop Namgyal Memorial Hospital, Gangtok, Sikkim, India.
Introduction:
Childhood anxiety is a growing concern in Indian school settings, yet the behavioral and coping mechanisms that shape anxiety outcomes remain insufficiently understood. This study examined how coping patterns, behavioral tendencies, prosocial characteristics, and socioeconomic factors predict anxiety among school-going children in Sikkim.
Methods:
A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 1,001 children aged 7 to 10 years in Sikkim. Standardized instruments were used, including the Revised Children's Manifest Anxiety Scale-2 (RCMAS-2), the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ-P), the Coping Strategies Inventory (CSI-SF), and the 2020 Kuppuswamy Socioeconomic Scale. Analyses included descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, correlations, regression models, and structural equation modelling.
Result:
Based on established RCMAS-2 thresholds, 22.5% of children screened positive for clinically elevated anxiety (21.0% moderate; 1.5% severe). In the structural model, maladaptive coping showed the strongest association with anxiety (β = 0.18, p < 0.001). Adaptive coping (β = -0.08, p = 0.057) and prosocial behavior (β =-0.11, p = 0.035) showed small protective effects. Internalizing and externalizing behavior showed weak direct associations with anxiety and minimal indirect effects through maladaptive coping. Overall, behavioral and coping variables exhibited low intercorrelations, indicating that anxiety symptoms were associated with coping patterns rather than broad behavioral difficulties.
Conclusion:
A substantial proportion of primary-school children in Sikkim exhibit clinically elevated anxiety symptoms. Coping style, particularly maladaptive coping, emerged as the most salient factor associated with anxiety, whereas behavioral difficulties contributed minimally. Strengthening adaptive coping and encouraging prosocial engagement within school mental health programs may help reduce anxiety risk during early schooling years.
Related Concept Videos
Anxiety: Overview
Individuals with anxiety often experience a range of physical and emotional symptoms, including sweating, trembling, tachycardia, and disturbances in sleep patterns. These symptoms vary in intensity and frequency but are generally disruptive and distressing.
Social Anxiety Disorder
Autism Spectrum Disorder
These core symptoms manifest differently among individuals, ranging from mild to severe. The disorder's complexity extends beyond its clinical presentation, encompassing a diverse range of biological, cognitive, and sociocultural influences.
Behavior Therapy
Exposure therapy is a cornerstone of behavioral treatment for anxiety disorders. It involves systematic exposure to feared stimuli, either in real...
Horney's Sociocultural Approach
Coping Strategies: Emotion Focused

