4. Background of the Study
Anxiety is a general term for several disorders that causes nervousness, fear,
apprehension, and worrying. These disorders affect how we feel and behave, and they
can manifest real physical symptoms.
Anxiety is the feeling of agitation and distress you experience when you are faced with
a challenge such as performing on stage, competing in an athletic event or taking an
exam.
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5. Studies have shown that anxiety and stress can negatively affect the body and
emotions of children and adolescents and can develop into many challenging
issues such as school absenteeism, low self-concept, verbal and nonverbal
problems, deficiencies in academic performance, decrease in focus and
concentration, behavioral problems, heightened dependence, adult attention
seeking behaviors, and difficulties staying on task (Allen & Klein, 1996; Costello et al.,
2003; Orth, 2011).
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7. Thinking
Anxious children and teens have unrealistic or extreme
thoughts that center around harm or threat.
“My mom is late, she’s been in a car accident.”
“I can’t do this presentation because my classmates will think
I’m dumb and laugh at me.”
“I will get sick in school and throw up, and everyone will
know.”
“I will get in trouble if my work is not perfect.”
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8. Feeling
Anxious children and teens become “pumped up” or aroused.
This is the flight-fight response.
Immediate or short-term anxiety is named the flight-fight response. It’s
the body’s way of protecting you from danger.
The flight-fight response causes you to sweat, increase heart rate, tense
muscles, make you breath faster, feel hot or cold, dry mouth, and feel
lightheaded or dizzy.
School Situations: oral presentation, test, separating from parent,
substitute teacher, answering question in class
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9. Doing - Anxious Behaviors
Pace, fidget, cry, cling, shake
Avoid
Refusing to go to school or class
Refusing to go somewhere alone
Complain of headache or stomach ache to get
out of doing something
Reassurance seeking.
“Am I going to die?”
“Are you sure ________ won’t happen?”
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10. How does anxiety affect?
Classroom anxiety affects in three ways:
•Physiologically
•Behaviorally
•Psychologically
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12. Behavioral reactions may include:
• Inability to make decisions, act, or express
yourself.
• Difficulty in reading and understanding questions
on an exam.
• Difficulty in organizing your thoughts.
• Difficulty in recalling or retrieving terms and
concepts.
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13. Psychological reactions may include:
• Feeling apprehensive or uneasy.
• Feeling upset.
• Having self-doubt or negative self-talk.
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15. Participants
In this study, the participants were
The students of class VI at West Dhanmondi Yousuf
High School, Dhanmondi, Dhaka
Chosen by convenience sampling
1male & 1 female
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17. Background of interviewing
The purpose of this study was to understand how students in a sixth grade
class experienced and responded to anxiety prior to, during, and after
receiving instruction in anxiety-reducing strategies that are embedded in their
classroom.
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18. Questions to participants
Q1 (1st participant): In the past couple of weeks, have there been times in school
when you have felt anxious? Briefly explain?
Ans. Yes. I was anxious in the last month while giving answer to
teacher. I was trying to give the answer correctly but I could not do that
because of unfavorable environment of the class room.
Q2 (2nd participant): What does anxiety “look” like?
Ans. Anxiety looks like a horrible something. It always impedes me to
do my task. I don’t want to meet with anxiety ever.
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19. Q3 (1st participant): How did you feel during those times?
Ans. I felt uneasy and uncomfortable. Indeed, I felt like my face gets
blotchy.
Q4 (2nd participant): What does your body do when you feel anxious in school?
Ans. My hands get sweaty. I get really hot and I might start to shake a
little and I tend to tap my pen or pencil, or shake my leg.
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20. Q5 (1st participant): What else do you know about handling situations that make you
feel anxious?
Ans. I received instruction in anxiety-reducing strategies in the classroom. Three
research-based strategies were taught to me: (a) progressive muscle relaxation, (b)
breathing
exercises, and (c) positive self- talk to reduce anxiety in the classroom.
Q6 (2nd participant): How do you describe your feelings and behaviors with
anxiety before being taught anxiety-reducing strategies?
Ans. I feel like I am the only one who feels like all nervous-like before a test and my
heart just starts beating
like crazy right before I have to give a speech! I feel like I am going to have a heart
attack!
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21. Findings
There were two students who became anxious due to bad performance in the
classroom though they performed well in the exam. Throughout the
interactions with the sixth grade students, I came to learn that they
learn to handle anxious situations in school. It is seemed that the
anxiety level grew high in the 2nd participant and he has worried
about classroom activity. On the contrary, the 1st participant learnt
strategy of reducing anxiety level though he faced a bitter
experience in academic level.
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22. The students mentioned the following reasons for
classroom anxiety:
Irritability/ tiredness
Absenteeism
Frequent somatic complaints
Decline in grades
Withdrawal from peer group
Use of alcohol/drugs
Poor coping with everyday stress
Calling home frequently/reassurance seeking
Angry outbursts/ suicidal ideation
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23. Components that raise anxiety in
classroom
Unfriendliness
Reproach from teacher(s)
Smirk from classmate(s)
Embarrassment
Self-frustration
Self-doubt
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25. Anxiety disorders are among the most prevalent childhood psychological
disorders experienced by 10 to 21% of children today. With its frequency
and the potential for multiple negative consequences, anxiety disorders have
been named “one of the greatest health problems . . . in terms of global
burden of disease. The aim of this study was to learn through the eyes and
experiences of the students, as they participate in classroom-embedded
anxiety-reducing strategies.
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26. Recommendations
To lower anxiety in classroom, it is suggested that teachers may
use gentle or non-threatening methods, such as offering words of
encouragement
use collaborative activities by making students work in small groups.
create a low stress, friendly, and supportive learning environment
use relevant , interesting and, importantly, meaningful topics for
class discussions and exercises
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27. Limitations of the Study
Very few of studies previously conducted in the field of
anxiety in classroom anxiety
The number of the participant was too small
Interview, therefore, findings may not be generalized to
other classes
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