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Teacher knowledge of anxiety and use of anxiety reduction strategies in the classroom

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 October 2021

Golda S. Ginsburg ,
Jeffrey E. Pella Open the ORCID record for Jeffrey E. Pella [Opens in a new window] ,
Robert R. Ogle ,
Anneliese DeVito ,
Katherine Raguin  and
Grace Chan
Golda S. Ginsburg*
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
Jeffrey E. Pella
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
Robert R. Ogle
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
Anneliese DeVito
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
Katherine Raguin
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
Grace Chan
Affiliation:
Department of Psychiatry, University of Connecticut School of Medicine, West Hartford, Connecticut, USA and Department of Psychiatry, Farmington, Connecticut, USA
*
*Corresponding author. Email: [email protected]
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Abstract

The current study examined elementary (or primary) school teachers’ knowledge of student anxiety and evidence-based anxiety reduction strategies, whether this knowledge was associated with their use of evidence-based anxiety reduction strategies in the classroom, and correlates of teacher knowledge and use of anxiety reduction strategies in the classroom. Fifty-one volunteer elementary teachers (98% female; 98% White) participated and completed questionnaires about: themselves and work-related factors (e.g., years of teaching experience, self-efficacy), knowledge of student anxiety and anxiety treatment (e.g., core manifestations of anxiety such as physiological arousal, behavioural avoidance, and anxious thoughts), and use of anxiety reduction strategies in the classroom (e.g., relaxation strategies, encouraging the use of coping self-talk, and gradual exposure to feared situations). Results indicated that the average score on the knowledge assessment was 57% and knowledge levels were unrelated to self-reported use of anxiety reduction strategies. The most robust correlate of knowledge of anxiety and use of anxiety reduction strategies was teachers’ perceived personal accomplishment. Findings suggest additional teacher training to increase knowledge about student anxiety and use of evidence-based anxiety reduction strategies in the classroom is warranted.

Keywords

Anxietyanxiety reductionteacher knowledgecognitive behaviour strategieselementary
Type
Original Article
Information
Journal of Psychologists and Counsellors in Schools , Volume 32 , Issue 2 , December 2022 , pp. 174 - 184
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Copyright
© The Author(s) 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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