Effect of Fears on Psychosocial Adjustments and Self Esteem of Children Aged (12-16) Years

Background: Fear had been defined as the emergence of symptoms of multiple anxiety as a case of emotional and physical or objective. Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the fears and their relationship to psychological and social Adjustment and self-esteem in children in the age group of 12 to 16 years of both sexes, male and female, in the Irbid region schools in the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Materials and Methods: a cross sectional descriptive study had been performed on a sample of 500 school children ranging in age between 12 to 16 years from the public schools of Irbid governorate, northern of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. A semi-structured questionnaire developed by the researcher investigating the socio-demographic factors and the psycho-social adjustment along with Rosenberg self-esteem scale had been administered over the study participants. Findings: The study results revealed that 50% of the study participants were having fears that are less than average. While there was almost 0.4% with severe fears, 51% of the sample was within the Pass category of the Psychosocial adjustment, and 57% of the children were passing Self-esteem test. Moreover, findings of the current study had shown that there is a correlation between children fear and their psychosocial adjustment level. About 111 students were characterized as poor psychosocially adjusted, while 134 students showed good to the excellent level of psychosocial adjustment. Socio-cultural factors result showed that the positive significant relationship is detected between residence area (Urban and rural), Income level, parents educational level and occupation. Conclusion: study findings conclude that: There was a statistically significant difference in fears among boys and girls, whereas girls exhibited higher fear intensity compared to boy's sample. There is a significant relation of fears in children aged 12 to 16 years, to their psychosocial adjustment and self-esteem degree. Psychosocial adjustment and self-esteem are correlated positively and significantly affected by socio-economic and socio-cultural factors of the children.