State anxiety, trait anxiety, and coping style in mexican and canadian young adults

Abstract

The multidimensional interactional model of anxiety distinguishes between state and trait anxiety and the Endler Multidimensional Anxiety Scales (EMAS) were developed to reliably and independently assess multidimensional state and multidimensional trait anxiety. The interactional model of anxiety has recently been extended to include the effects of coping responses and the Coping Inventory for Stressful Situations (CISS) was developed to reliably assess coping styles. To date, research with both the EMAS and CISS has focused exclusively on individuals from Canada, the United States, and Europe. The present study sought to evaluate the psychometric adequacy of both the EMAS and CISS in a Mexican sample, and also to investigate the generalizability of the interactional model of anxiety by examining the interrelationship of state anxiety, trait anxiety, and coping style in Mexican and Canadian young adults. A total of 165 Mexican undergraduates (71 males and 94 females) and 163 Canadian undergraduates (63 males and 100 females) completed both the EMAS and CISS in a non-stressful situation. Both scales were highly reliable for both cultural groups. There were significant gender and cultural differences across the various EMAS and CISS scales. Women were more likely than men to report using passive coping strategies; Mexican young adults reported using more task-oriented coping strategies and less emotion-oriented coping strategies than Canadian young adults. Results are discussed in terms of cultural differences between Canada and Mexico.

Key Words:

• State anxiety
• trait anxiety
• coping
• cross-cultural