EDUC3026 slideshow, Blackboard Learn, UoN, University of Newcastle, Special Education, EDUC3026 Slideshow - Anxiety

1. Ebony Hutchin, Mat Grandin
& Katie Smith

2.  A mental illness
characterised by
feelings of fear
 Impacts 14% of
Australians, making
it the most common
mental illness
 Between 2-9% of
children have an
anxiety disorder in
Australia

3. Summary
 Anxiety often
manifests through
behaviour
 Behaviours can be
both positive and
negative
 Avoidant behaviours
are particularly
common
 All types of anxiety
tend to impact upon
social interaction.
Teaching Strategies
 Explicit instruction
in self-regulation
and other
management
strategies.
 May require you to
teach, or support
what has been
taught.
 ‘Social Stories’ can
be a helpful tool

4. Summary
 Reluctance to ask
for assistance,
elevated need for
verbal reassurance,
communication
apprehension.
 Higher risk of
remaining unnoticed
 Lower perceived
self-competence
and temperamental
flexibility
Teaching Strategies
 Communication
books
 Alternative
communication
strategies eg colour
coded mood cards
 Explicitly teach
recognition of
anxiety symptoms
and strategies to
communicate these
feelings

5. Summary
 Anxiety disorders are
often exacerbated by a
sensory overload
 The smallest smells, sights
and sounds can over-
stimulate the senses.
 Children with Anxiety
disorders can be fearful of
situations which may
overload the senses.
Teaching Strategies
 Introduce student to safe
sensory areas such as a
sensory room, where a
child can experience
sensory stimulation on
their own terms.
 Create a seating plan for
the student, such as away
from windows, in order
create a safe sensory
environment.
 Maintain a classroom
environment without
excessive sensory
stimulation, such as too
much noise.

6. Summary
 Trembling,
dizziness,
sweating, muscle
tension
 Comorbidity with
functional
semantic
syndromes
 Panic attacks
Teaching Strategies
 Safe spaces
 Stress
management skills
eg meditation and
time management
 Panic attack action
plan

7. Summary
 Children with Anxiety
disorders often find
concentration
difficult in and
outside of the
classroom.
 Children with Anxiety
disorders regularly
find remembering
even basic
instructions difficult.
 Memory and
concentration are
both effected in
similar ways.
Teaching Strategies
 Work with
parents/guardians to create
strategies to aid memory,
such as reminders written
in a diary.
 Work one on one with
student to create a more
relaxed environment where
concentration can become
more organic and not so
forced.
 Planned rest breaks, to
reduce cognitive overload,
which allow students to
employ anxiety reducing
strategies and refocus their
attention.

8. Summary
 Anxiety has no
direct bearing, but
cognitive
implications may
also impact here
 Decreased working
memory, fatigue,
work/school
avoidance can all
impact on literacy
and numeracy
Teaching Strategies
 Explicit quality
criteria and time
frames
 Explicit, accessible
instructions
 Instruction on
managing anxiety
 Intensive programs
for improving
foundational skills

9.  Ameringen, M., Mancini, C., & Farvolden, P. (2003). The Impact of Anxiety Disorders on Educational Achievement. Journal of Anxiety Disorders, 17(5), 561 – 571.
 Anxiety Disorders Association of British Columbia. (2012). Effective Communication: Improving Your Social Skills. Retrieved March 25, 2014,
from http://www.anxietybc.com/self-help/effective-communication-improving-your-social-skills
 Australian Bureau of Statistics. (2013). Mental Health. Retrieved March 14, 2014,
fromhttp://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/4125.0main+features3150Jan%202013
 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. (2012). Comorbidity of Mental Disorders and Physical Conditions 2007. Retrieved March 14, 2014,
from http://www.aihw.gov.au/publication-detail/?id=10737421146
 Australian Psychological Society. (2014). Understanding and Managing Anxiety. Retrieved March 14, 2014,
fromhttps://www.psychology.org.au/publications/tip_sheets/anxiety/
 Barsky, A., & Borus, J. (1999). Functional Somatic Syndromes. Annals of Internal Medicine, 130(11), 910 – 921.
 Beck, A. Emery, G. Greenberg, R. (1985) Anxiety disorders and phobias: A cognitive perspective. New York, Basic Books.
 Beyond Blue. (2014). Anxiety. Retrieved March 14, 2014, from http://www.beyondblue.org.au/the-facts/anxiety
 Early Childhood Australia. (2014). How Anxiety Problems Affect Children. Retrieved March 15, 2014, fromhttps://www.kidsmatter.edu.au/families/mental-health-
difficulties/anxiety/anxiety-how-anxiety-problems-affect-children
 Gale, C., & Davidson, O. (2007). Generalised Anxiety Disorder. British Medical Journal, 334(7593), 579 – 581.
 Grimley, M., Dahraei, H. & Riding, R. J. (2008). The relationship between anxiety-stability, working memory and cognitive style. Educational Studies, 34(3), 213-223.
 Gorman, J. (1998). Comorbid Depression and Anxiety Spectrum Disorders. Depression and Anxiety, 4(4), 160 – 168. doi: 10.1002/(SICI)1520-6394(1996)4:4<160::AID-
DA2>3.0.CO;2-J
 Kim, J., Szatmari, P., Bryson, S., Streiner, D., & Wilson, F. (2000). The Prevalence of Anxiety and Mood Problems among Children with Autism and Asperger
Syndrome. Autism, 4(2), 117 – 132. doi: 10.1177/1362361300004002002
 Messer, S., & Beidel, D. (1994). Psychosocial Correlates of Childhood Anxiety Disorders. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 33(7),
975 – 983.
 Minahan, J. & Rappaport, N. (2012). Anxiety in Students:A Hidden Culprit in Behavior Issues. Phi Delta Kappan, 34-39.
 Health Direct Australia. (2014). Anxiety. Retrieved April 3, 2014,
from http://www.mindhealthconnect.org.au/anxiety?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Anxiety%20(P)&utm_term=anxiety%20disorders
 McCroskey, J. (1992). Reliability and Validity of the Willingness to Communicate Scale. Communication Quarterly, 40(1), 16 – 25.
 Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment. (2014). Managing Stress and Anxiety. Retrieved March 15, 2014, fromhttp://education.qld.gov.au/asd-
online-resource-kit/schools/continuing-successfully/managing-stress.html
 Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment. (2014). Information Sheet - Anxiety. Retrieved March 25, 2014,
from http://education.qld.gov.au/studentservices/protection/mentalhealth/infosheets/anxiety.doc
 SPD Life. (2010). SBAD: Sensory Based Anxiety Disorder. Retrieved April 3, 2014, from http://spdlife.org/symptoms/sensory-based-anxiety-disorder.html
 The Gray Centre. (2014). What Are Social Stories. Retrieved March 24, 2014, from http://www.thegraycenter.org/social-stories/what-are-social-stories