Everyone experiences anxiety at one time or another. Anxiety can resemble fear, and is felt when we are confronted with a perceived threat. It causes all kinds of reactions, whether physiological (e.g., accelerated heartbeat), cognitive (e.g., anticipation of a serious situation), emotional (e.g., fear, anger) or behavioural (e.g., avoidance).Feeling a bit anxious at times is perfectly normal. Anxiety can help us cope with stressful situations, such as a sporting event, an interview, a test, or a breakup. Normally, it disappears as soon as life returns to normal. This type of anxiety is only experienced during stressful situations, but there is a second type that is more pervasive, known as generalized anxiety.
People with generalized anxiety disorder experience continually high levels of anxiety for a period of at least six months. The fear they feel is disproportionate to the events they are experiencing, and their day-to-day responsibilities cause them distress. They are also unable to take a step back and relax.
When a child’s high levels of anxiety and distress are interfering with their daily life (i.e., when they have an anxiety disorder, rather than simply feeling anxious at times), parents should consult a specialist.
Anxiety in children is often accompanied by one or more of the following symptoms:
- Sleep problems
- Loss of appetite
- Avoidance of stressful situations and feeling more intense fears than other children their age
- Refusal to go to school or participate in sports activities
- Difficulty making friends
- Physical symptoms, such as stomach aches, vomiting, and fatigue
- Crying and tantrums
- Freezing up (withdrawing and finding it hard to talk)
Here are some signs that a student might be experiencing school anxiety:
- Before going to school, they may complain of stomach pains, headaches, or that they simply don’t feel well.
- They feel unwell during the week, but never on Saturday or Sunday.
- At the cognitive level, they might be experiencing learning difficulties. For example, they are less attentive in class, their concentration is disrupted more easily, and they have distracting thoughts.
- At the emotional level, students suffering from anxiety have weaker interpersonal skills and a poor understanding of their emotions. For example, they tend to isolate themselves and avoid unpleasant situations.
- At the behavioural level, anxiety can be characterized by opposition and aggressiveness. However, a student may also have internalized behaviours, such as a fear of others, passivity, fear of certain events, performance anxiety, etc.
In addition to anxiety, other factors can contribute to a negative attitude towards school, such as:
- A lack of self-confidence
- Fear of being judged or evaluated or feeling inferior to others
- Fear of failure
- Fear of not meeting the expectations of their parents or teachers
- Conflicts with peers
- Bullying (link in French only)
- Etc.
Performance anxiety is a type of anxiety that can occur at different times during a student’s education. It can be triggered by situations where they are expected to perform well, such as tests, presentations, and competitions. When experiencing performance anxiety, they tend to overestimate the consequences of failing and/or they may compare themself to others. They often show a preference for individual work.
Students with learning disorders might feel that they are not meeting the expectations of others or themselves, that they are disappointing their parents and teachers, and that they are not trying hard enough, despite working very hard. As a result, these students may also experience higher levels of stress, and distress, related to school. For a student with a learning disability who is already experiencing academic difficulties, mental health issues can present a significant barrier in the classroom and make learning even more difficult. By communicating with their family and school support staff, you can help develop coping strategies and establish an individualized education plan to promote the student’s well-being.