Temperament, anxiety, and depression: Comparisons across five ethnic groups of children

Extending analyses from a large school-based sample of children and adolescents (N = 1, 126; Chorpita, 2002), this study examined anxiety and depression assessment with 5 ethnic groups in Hawaii. Ethnic differences in anxiety and depression symptoms, along with 2 temperamental characteristics-negative affectivity (NA) and positive affectivity (PA)-were examined within the context of the tripartite model of anxiety and depression (Clark & Watson, 1991). Minimal between-group differences in temperamental characteristics were found. Good fit was found for a multisample model relating NA anti PA to anxiety and depressive dimensions consistently across all groups. However significant mean level differences among ethnic groups were found for several specific anxiety dimensions, suggesting that factors outside of the tripartite model explain observed ethnic differences. Further support for the generalizability of the tripartite model was also found.