“Everyone has it and it’s not just you”: How Eleven to Thirteen Year Olds Perceive Anxiety

Abstract

Eva Luke

Dooley et al showed that over 30% of Irish adolescents experienced levels of depression and anxiety outside of a normal range [1]. While their research was conducted on secondary school students, eleven to thirteen year old students make up the early adolescent years. There is a great deal of research on anxiety disorders, but few which listen to the young person’s own voice, particularly during these early adolescent years. While the Children’s School Lives study shows research on anxiety for children, questions did not leave room for children to speak about their understanding of anxiety, or speak openly on what they believe may cause feelings of anxiety. Furthermore, Roose and John found that 10 and 11 year olds were cognitively able to discuss the concept of mental health [2]. This study hopes to address this gap in knowledge and see what students' understanding and experiences of anxiety are, further demonstrating that research should be done with, rather than on, children particularly when considering mental health [3]. Main findings suggest many children have an understanding of anxiety, with most participants having heard the term before and were able to give examples of when it may be experienced. Children had many ideas on how to lessen anxiety for themselves and their peers and what they believe schools should be doing to help with this. Main sources of anxiety that were identified for fifth and sixth class students were sports, tests, homework and the transition to secondary school.

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