Prevalence and psycho-social determinants of anxiety among school going adolescents of Kanpur Nagar

Abstract

Background: Adolescence involves critical changes that heighten vulnerability to psychiatric disorders, especially anxiety. In India, limited mental health resources and social stigma hinder early intervention. Addressing adolescent mental health through timely diagnosis and community-based care is essential to improve youth well-being and developmental outcomes. Aim & Objective: The proposed study aims to explore prevalence and psycho-social determinants of anxiety disorders among school-going adolescents in Kanpur Nagar.  Methods & Material: Multistage random sampling from eight schools in Kanpur Nagar, selecting one section from each class (IX-XII). Pretested questionnaire, self-report method, with consent and assent obtained from participants and parents. Includes bio-social characteristics, lifestyle and behaviour, and Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI). Data analyzed using SPSS with descriptive and inferential statistics. Results: Among the participants, 53% are female and 47% are male. The participants are distributed across grades, with 26.1% in 9th, 25.5% in 10th, 25% in 11th, and 23.4% in 12th. Sleep duration also demonstrated a significant correlation (p=0.01), as participants sleeping less than 6 hours per day exhibited higher levels of severe anxiety (20.5%). Conclusions: A nearly equal gender distribution (53% female, 47% male) and wide representation across religion, caste, school type, and socio-economic status strengthen the generalizability of findings. Statistically significant associations were found between anxiety levels and gender, religion and educational class with 12th-grade students and females experiencing higher levels of severe anxiety. Students engaging in regular physical activity reported lower anxiety, while inadequate sleep correlated with higher anxiety levels.