Association between self-efficacy and anxiety symptoms in adolescents: secondary analysis of a preventive program

Anxiety disorders are common among adolescents. To avert long-term adverse consequences, several school-based prevention programs have been created, yet few have explored the influence of emotional and social self-efficacy as a psychosocial competence on anxiety symptoms. In the context of the implementation of a school-situated anxiety prevention program named HORS-PISTE, the present study examines descriptions of anxiety symptoms associated with social anxiety, generalized anxiety, separation anxiety and panic anxiety, and two domains of self-efficacy (social and emotional), as well as an exploration of the association between these two elements, and the predictive effect of self-efficacy on anxiety symptoms. The present study included 1705 adolescents from 15 different schools in 4 different regions of Québec, Canada. Participants completed questionnaires assessing their anxiety symptoms and self-efficacy levels before and after completing the HORS-PISTE program. Our findings suggest that: emotional/social self-efficacy and anxiety symptoms differ according to certain characteristics in adolescents; self-efficacy and anxiety symptoms present a strong association in the context of the implementation of a school-based anxiety prevention program; self-efficacy has a predictive effect on anxiety symptoms; and self-efficacy presents a moderate interaction effect on anxiety symptoms change over time.