PULSE
School anxiety can play out in many different ways
School anxiety, avoidance and
refusal have become all too common in our classrooms today.
During the course of their development, many children and adolescents experience school-related
anxiety in various ways. For some,
school anxiety will manifest into
school avoidance, which may
impact attendance, academic performance, social interactions, family
relationships and physical health.
Without proper intervention,
these problems can have a profound effect on both the family and
student’s chance for success. While
school refusal behaviors can often
be associated with increased anxiety, other factors may be present,
such as medical issues, learning
difficulties and other family and
personal
circumstances.
Other signs to look for may also
include changes in homework patterns (refusal, missing or incomplete assignments), patterns of academic failure (decrease in grades,
changes in test performance),
patterns of negative peer relations
(decreased social activities/social
isolations) and decreased moti-
vation associated with
When working with
negative feelings toward
a student who displays
school. Professionals tryschool anxiety/school
refusal symptoms, it is criting to identify these students may notice behavior
ical to keep in mind that
patterns that only occur
anxiety can be contagious.
on school days, such as
As a result, individuals
stomachaches, avoidance
surrounding the anxious
of school-related activities
student may experience
and increased difficulties
heightened anxiety and
with social skills and peer
use strategies such as reasJackie Rhew
relationships.
surance and comforting to
On mental health lower the student’s anxiety.
A common theme with
students who experience
While the intent may be to
school anxiety or refusal symptoms
relieve a child’s discomfort, in actuis a lack of self-awareness or ability
ality, they may encourage further
to identify and utilize strengths and
avoidant behaviors by not allowing
weaknesses, as well as difficulty reg- the student to sit with his/her disulating emotions when in distress.
comfort.
Some students also experience
When interacting with a student
somatic symptoms, as a result of
who is anxious, refrain from engagtheir
ing in excessive talking. Sometimes
anxiety and/or depressive sympless is more. Instead, teach by
toms. The combination of these two example in the management of your
issues can often lead to maladaptive own anxiety. The child will look to
those around him/her to assess the
coping and avoidance. A major
focus in treatment for students who situation; if others are panicked,
it will further increase the child’s
exhibit symptoms of school anxiety
anxiety.
and/or school refusal behaviors is
Therapeutic interventions, along
to assist them in learning how to be
with gradual exposure back into the
comfortable with being uncomfortschool setting, will help the student
able.
reintegrate back into the school
setting successfully. During this
reintegration process, a key person
should be identified to assist the
student in getting re-acclimated to
school, creating a plan to make up
assignments and identifying key
supports and accommodations
within the school setting.
Being clear about acceptable
reasons to miss or be tardy from
school is key. The student should
be reminded how he/she can cope
with symptoms and manage discomfort without avoiding school. In
cases of medical illness, the school
nurse can coordinate with the outside providers, family and student
to ensure accommodations are created to increase school attendance.
The team approach works best
and is optimal for the student with
anxiety and avoidant behaviors.
Teachers, school staff, parents, students and outside supports working
together to establish a consistent
structure and pattern can be the
foundation of success.
— Jackie Rhew is a clinical liaison at
Amita Alexian Brothers Behavioral
Health Hospital.
Saturdays during football season
August - October
9:00am - 1:00pm
Early diagnosis, the correct treatment and rehabilitation
returns athletes to their sport safely and
as quickly as possible.
550 W. Ogden Ave.
Hinsdale, IL 60521
For an urgent appointment call:
630.794.8624
www.hinsdale-orthopaedics.com
The Hinsdalean • October 6, 2016 • Page 19