Adviser: Asst. Prof. Qumrul Hasan Chowdhury

Presenter: Md. Ziaul Islam

ID: 141500013

Presentation Outline

BACKGROUND OF THE STUDYRESEARCH DESIGNDATA ANALYSISCONCLUSION

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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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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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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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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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Doing - Anxious BehaviorsPace, fidget, cry, cling, shakeAvoid

Refusing to go to school or classRefusing to go somewhere aloneComplain 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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How does anxiety affect?Classroom anxiety affects in three ways:

•Physiologically

•Behaviorally

•Psychologically

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Physiological reactions may include:

• increased heartbeat

• tensed muscles

• perspiration

• dry mouth11

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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Psychological reactions may include:

• Feeling apprehensive or uneasy.

• Feeling upset.

• Having self-doubt or negative self-talk.

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RESEARCH DESIGN

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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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Instrument

• Interviewing• Time- 10 minutes• Date- July 10, 2014

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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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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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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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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. Threeresearch-based strategies were taught to me: (a) progressive muscle relaxation, (b) breathingexercises, and (c) positive self- talk to reduce anxiety in the classroom.

Q6 (2nd participant): How do you describe your feelings and behaviors withanxiety 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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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 theylearn 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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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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Components that raise anxiety in classroom

Unfriendliness Reproach from teacher(s)Smirk from classmate(s)EmbarrassmentSelf-frustrationSelf-doubt

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Conclusions&

Recommendations 24

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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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 act ivit ies by making students work in small groups.

create a low stress, fr iendly, and support ive learning environment

use relevant , interesting and, importantly, meaningful topics for class discussions and exercises

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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, f indings may not be generalized to other classes

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I appreciate your question28