Xhosa-speaking South African children in school settings face several academic and emotional challenges. These may be due to family obligation, conformity to authority figures and over expectations from parents, teachers and society. This study examines the differences in the number and types of reported fears and worries in 200 South African children and adolescents, between 14 and 18 years of age. Responses to a questionnaire investigating the inventory of fears and worries revealed significant differences in the number, pattern and level of fears. The participants endorsed school fears at higher levels than their Senegalese, Australian, Nigerian and American counterparts. Girls and children of low-income homes tend to exhibit higher levels of fears than children of upper-class homes. When interpreted within the cultural context, results further indicate that the number of fears decreased with age and that cultures that have fear-producing stimuli, and that favour inhibition and obedience serve to increase levels of fears and worries. (Contains 3 tables.)