1 - Anxiety Disorders: The Basics
1. The Video Clip - Watch, Listen or Read
This topic page will introduce the basics of anxiety disorders and will describe some of the behaviour that teachers may recognize in students currently experiencing an anxiety problem.
Select the desired media link below to watch the video, listen to the audio, or read the transcript.
Watch the Video
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2. Notes
Almost 10% of youth have an anxiety disorder. Anxiety is the most common of the mental health disorders. In this video, Dr. DiPasquale discusses how anxiety disorders may become apparent through a student"s classroom behaviour.
Generalized Anxiety Disorder
Students with GAD frequently need constant reassurance, "camp out at the teacher's desk", ask numerous questions about assignments, and often redo their work. These students tend to avoid stressful tasks like speeches, or doing class presentations.
These students respond well to a calm and reassuring teacher, and a structured routine. They do not react well to pressure or demands made by anyone, and may, if their anxiety is triggered by an assignment or classroom direction, simply refuse to accommodate the request. These students do not want to defy the teacher, but disobey in order to alleviate their considerable anxiety.
These students may benefit from mental health support from a professional aimed at targeting and alleviating their anxiety.
Separation Anxiety
This condition is characterized by a reluctance or even refusal to attend school, or frequent unauthorized trips back home when the child does make it into the classroom. Dr. DiPasquale points out in this video that this fear may actually be one of leaving the parent and the home, as opposed to fear of school. Family counselling is the treatment focus as parents are often very anxious also, and a cycle of anxiety exists within the family.
These students may need support from school social workers and others to undertake systematic desensitization (exposure) therapy. This therapy involves gradually exposing the student to the school environment in order that they develop a tolerance to being away from home/in the school environment.
Social Anxiety
The onset for social anxiety is usually in adolescence, and may manifest as severe shyness, and a gradual withdrawal from friends and usual social activities. These students may fear that they will act inappropriately in social situations and/or embarrass themselves.
These students benefit from support from school social workers and others to address the root causes of their anxiety.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is particularly effective at addressing issues associated with social anxiety. To learn more about Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, please see Cognitive Therapy: An Introduction from a Clinical Perspective by Peter Bieling, Ph.D.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
The onset for OCD varies by gender. In males, OCD onset ranges from ages 6 through 15, but in females onset usually occurs between 20 and 29 years of age. Students with this disorder experience intrusive unwanted thoughts which are sometimes accompanied by ritual behaviors aimed at relieving anxiety related to the thoughts (i.e. hand washing, repetitive actions etc.)
These students need a teacher who can protect the affected youngster from peer group ridicule, and help them to find a support network. The behaviour of students with OCD will be very perplexing to their peers, so these students will benefit from a teacher who is willing to and convey to them that it is a legitimate medical condition, like diabetes or asthma.Please post your observations, comments, and questions below.
4. Comments
I am surprised at the fact that OCD in boys started at a young age. Whereas girls was between the ages of 20-29. I think of girls being more of perfectionsts, then boys. Is the society changing? What were the statistics from 20 years ago?
What if the affected youngster don't get the help that he or she need what will happen to them.
I was quite interested in the section about separation anxiety and the relationship between anxiety in parents and their children. Has there been studies to see if this anxiety manifest itself in several children within the same family or does it depend on each individual child's personality?
I worked with a boy who had OCD. It was quite the challenge to adapt the average school day around his disorder. He did learn different strategies to help cope through out the school day. My question is: Is it alright to supress a child's need to be obsessive compulsive and are there limits to what is alright? I beleive that there could be boundries but to not discourage something a child might not have any control is questionable.