Differences in the Fears of Elementary School Children in North and South America: A Cross-Cultural Comparison

This study compared the fears of North American and South American children in Grades 2–5. Fears were assessed with English and Spanish versions of the American Fear Survey Schedule (FSSC-AM; Burnham 2005). Specific fears and several most common fears differed across the two countries. Overall, the South American children and the girls from both countries had significantly higher fear intensity scores than North American children and the boys. Fear intensity scores also differed significantly across racial backgrounds. Implications for counsellors and directions for future research are considered.