The age of anxiety? The birth cohort change in anxiety and neuroticism, 1952-1993.

Abstract

Two meta-analyses find that Americans have shifted toward substantially higher levels of anxiety and neuroticism during recent decades. Both college student (adult) and child samples increased almost a full standard deviation in anxiety between 1952 and 1993 (explaining about 20% of the variance in the trait). The average American child in the 1980s reported more anxiety than child psychiatric patients in the 1950s. Correlations with social indices (e.g., divorce rates, crime rates) suggest that decreases in social connectedness and increases in environmental dangers may be responsible for the rise in anxiety. Economic factors, however, seem to play little role. Birth cohort, as a proxy for broad social trends, may be an important influence on personality development, especially during childhood.

Cites (3)

1. “Stress: appraisal and coping,”
   Folkman, Susan · 2013 · Encyclopedia of Behavioral Medicine
2. Attachment and Loss. Vol. 1. Attachment
   Rever, George W. · 1972 · Psychosomatic Medicine
3. Social psychology as history.
   Gergen, Kenneth J. · 1973 · Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

Show all 3 references

Cited by (58)

1. Patterns of mean-level change in personality traits across the life course: A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.
   Roberts, Brent W., Walton, Kate E., Viechtbauer, Wolfgang · 2006 · Psychological Bulletin
2. Does low self-esteem predict depression and anxiety? A meta-analysis of longitudinal studies.
   Sowislo, Julia Friederike, Orth, Ulrich · 2013 · Psychological Bulletin
3. Ostracism
   Williams, Kipling D. · 2007 · Annual Review of Psychology
4. The Costly Pursuit of Self-Esteem
   Crocker, Jennifer, Park, Lora E. · 2004 · Psychological Bulletin
5. Mental Illness and Mental Health: The Two Continua Model Across the Lifespan
   Westerhof, Gerben J., Keyes, Corey L. M. · 2010 · Journal of Adult Development

See all 786