Existential anxiety is hypothesized to be a core human issue in a great deal of theoretical and philosophical writing. However, little is known about the emergence of these concerns and their relation to emotional functioning in youth. The purpose of this study was to examine the phenomenon of existential anxiety in a sample of adolescents. Data on existential concerns, identity development and psychological symptoms were collected on a sample of 139 youth in grades 9–12. Results indicated that existential anxiety concerns have a theoretically consistent factor structure, are common among adolescents, and are associated with psychological symptoms, as well as identity issues. Results are discussed with regard to the importance of existential concerns in the lives of youth and the need for additional research.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
REFERENCES
Abdel-Khalek, A. M. (2000–2001). Death, anxiety, and depression in Kuwaiti undergraduates. Omega 42: 309–320.
American Psychiatric Association. (1994). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edn.). Author, Washington, DC.
Balistreri, E., Busch-Rossnagel, N. A., and Geisinger, K. F. (1995). Development and validation of the Ego Identity Process Questionnaire. J. Adolesc. 18: 179–192.
Berman, S. L., Montgomery, M. J., and Kurtines, W. M. (2004). The development and validation of a measure of identity distress. Identity: An Int. J. Theor. Res. 4(1): 1–8.
Crumbaugh, J. C., and Maholick, L. T. (1969). Manual of Instruction for the Purpose-in-Life-Test. Psychometric Affiliates, Munster.
Debats, D. L., Drost, J., and Hansen, P. (1995). Experiences of meaning of life: A combined qualitative and quantitative approach. Br. J. Psychol. 86: 359–375.
Derogotis, L. R. (1994). Symptom Checklist-90-R (SCL-90-R) Administration, Scoring, and Procedures Manual (3rd edn.). National Computer Systems, Minneapolis, MN.
Derogotis, L. R. (2000). BSI-18: Administration, Scoring, and Procedures Manual. Pearson Assessments, Minneapolis, MN.
Dong, Q., Yang, B., and Ollendick, T. H. (1994). Fears in Chinese children and adolescents and their relations to anxiety and depression. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 35: 351–363.
Erikson, E. H. (1963). Childhood and Society (2nd edn.). Norton, New York.
Erikson, E. H. (1968). Identity, Youth and Crisis. Norton, New York.
Fortner, B. V., and Neimeyer, R. A. (1999). Death anxiety in older adults: A quantitative review. Death Stud. 23: 387–411.
Good, L. R., and Good, K. C. (1974). A preliminary measure of existential anxiety. Psychol. Rep. 34: 72–74.
Ingman, K. A., Ollendick, T. H., and Akande, A. (1999). Cross cultural aspects of fears in African children and adolescents. Behav. Res. Ther. 37: 337–345.
Kierkegaard, S. (1843/1954a). Fear and Trembling. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
Kierkegaard, S. (1849/1954b). The Sickness Unto Death. Princeton University Press, Princeton, NJ.
Kochanska, G., Gross, J. N., Lin, M. H., and Nichols, K. E. (2002). Guilt in young children: Development, determinants, and relations with a broader system of standards. Child Dev. 73: 461–483.
Marcia, J. E. (1966). Development and validation of ego identity status. J. Pers. Soc. Psychol. 5: 551–558.
Mislevy, R. (1986). Recent developments in the factor analysis of categorical variables. J. Educ. Stat. 11: 3–31.
Muthén, B. (1978). Contributions to factor analysis of dichotomous variables. Psychometrika 43: 551–560.
Muthén, L. K., and Muthén, B. O. (1998–2004). Mplus User's Guide (3rd edn.). Los Angeles, CA: Muthén and Muthén.
Ollendick, T. H. (1983). Reliability and validity of the revised fear survey schedule for children (FSSC-R). Behav. Res. Ther. 6: 685–692.
Ollendick, T. H., and King, N. J. (1994). Fears and their level of interference in adolescents. Behav. Res. Ther. 6: 635–638.
Ollendick, T. H., Matson, J. L., and Helsel, W. J. (1985). Fears in children and adolescents: Normative data. Behav. Rese. Ther. 4: 465–467.
Ollendick, T. H., King, N. J., and Frary, R. B. (1989). Fears in children and adolescents: Reliability and generalizability across gender, age, and nationality. Behav. Res. Ther. 1: 19–26.
Ollendick, T. H., Yule, W., and Ollier, K. (1991). Fears in British children and their relationship to manifest anxiety and depression. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 2: 321–331.
Ollendick, T. H., Yang, B., Dong, Q., Xia, Y., and Lin, L. (1995). Perceptions of fear in other children and adolescents: The role of gender and friendship status. J. Abnorm. Child Psychol. 23: 439–452.
Ollendick, T. H., Yang, B., King, N. J., Dong, Q., and Akande, A. (1996). Fears in American, Australian, Chinese, and Nigerian children and adolescents: A cross cultural study. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 37: 213–220.
Ollendick, T. H., Langley, A. K., Jones, R. T., and Kephart, C. (2001). Fear in children and adolescents: Relations with negative life events, attributional style, and avoidant coping. J. Child Psychol. Psychiatry 42: 1029–1034.
Pyszczynski, T., Greenberg, J., and Solomon, S. (1999). A dual-process model of defense against conscious and unconscious death-related thoughts: An extension of terror management theory. Psychol. Rev. 106: 835–845.
Sartre, J. (1957). Existentialism and Human Emotions. Philosophical Library, New York.
Tillich, P. (1952a). The Courage To Be. Yale University Press, New Haven.
Tillich, P. (1952b) Anxiety, religion, and medicine. Pastoral Psychol. 3: 11–17.
Tillich, P. (1961). Existentialism and psychotherapy. Rev. Existent. Psychol. Psychiatry 1: 8–16.
Warren, S. L., and Sroufe, L. A. (2004). Developmental issues. In Ollendick, T. H., and March, J. S. (eds.), Phobic and Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents: A Clinician's Guide to Effective Psychosocial and Pharmacological Interventions. (pp. 92–115). Oxford University Press, New York.
Weems, C. F., and Costa, N. M. (2005). Developmental differences in the expression of childhood anxiety symptoms and fears. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry 44, 656–663.
Weems, C. F., Costa, N. M., Dehon, C., and Berman, S. L. (2004). Paul Tillich's theory of existential anxiety: A conceptual and empirical analysis. Anxiety Stress Coping: An Int. J. 17: 383–399.
Westenberg, P. M., Siebelink, B. M., and Treffers, P. D. A. (2001). Psychosocial developmental theory in relation to anxiety and its disorders. In Silverman, W. K., and Treffers, P. D. A. (eds.), Anxiety Disorders in Children and Adolescents: Research, Assessment and Intervention (pp. 72–89). Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, UK.
Yalom, I. D. (1975). The Theory and Practice of Group Psychotherapy. Basic Books, New York.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Received PhD from Florida International University. Interests are identity development including associated anxiety and distress, cross-national comparisons, and the development of identity interventions.
Received PhD from Florida International University. Interests focus on the developmental psychopathology of anxiety and depression.
Received PhD from the University of Arizona. Interests include a range of topics in developmental psychopathology, prevention, program evaluation, and research methodology.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Berman, S.L., Weems, C.F. & Stickle, T.R. Existential Anxiety in Adolescents: Prevalence, Structure, Association with Psychological Symptoms and Identity Development. J Youth Adolescence 35, 285–292 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9032-y
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10964-006-9032-y