The Japanese State-Trait Anxiety Inventory: age and sex differences

Purpose of the present study was to investigate scores on anxiety among adults of different ages. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory was administered to a representative community sample of 1,234 men and women whose ages ranged from 25 to 92 yr. Anxiety declined linearly over the series of age groups. A sex difference was also observed on trait anxiety; women showed higher anxiety than men. Occupation was associated with anxiety for men but with education for women. Possible development of anxiety and differential association of demographic variables with anxiety between sexes were discussed in relation to personality.