Use of the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory with Children and Adolescents in China: Issues with Reaction Times

The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (Form Y; STAI-Y) is a balanced scale with a complex factor structure. Using survey data from children and adolescents in Jiangxi Province, China (N = 1,275), we conducted confirmatory factor analysis to clarify the number of factors in this instrument and to investigate the relationship between reaction time (RT) and anxiety. Results revealed the following 3 dimensions for the STAI-Y: anxiety absent, anxiety present, and general anxiety. Compared with those who answered all the questions (58%), those who missed questions (42%) had a lower education level, a longer RT, and higher scores for items indicating the presence of state or trait anxiety. Our results could provide innovative directions for the improvement and expansion of research using the STAI-Y with children and adolescents.