The identification and management of learners with anxiety disorders in a South African inclusive educational setting

Abstract

As many as 8 to 11% of children and adolescents suffer from an anxiety disorder which can develop into specific phobias, social phobias, generalised anxiety disorders and obsessive behaviour. Childhood and adolescents are identified as the main risk developmental phases for the beginning of anxiety disorders and abnormal anxiety levels have negative effects on cognitive functioning, school performance and outcomes. If it were known why anxiety disorders in children was on the increase, some changes could be made to suitably accommodate these learners in schools. Learning barriers can also cause anxiety disorders, resulting in learners’ poor performances academically. A typical school community was selected to conduct the research. The main study objective was to facilitate the implementation of an education support plan, to enable learners with anxiety to participate in learning activities, and provide guidelines on the effective teaching and learning strategies for learners with anxiety disorders. What defines anxiety in learners at school, how are these anxiety disorders managed and what support is available, were the three main research questions posed. Relevant data was gathered via document analysis, questionnaires, observations and field notes and a mixed-method study approach and an interpretivist paradigm were chosen, with the researcher acting as a participant observer. Through a mixed methods approach, relevant in-depth information was generated and by choosing to conduct a case study, an in-depth analysis of anxiety disorders in learners and adolescents in their natural school setting was possible. The researcher’s personal experiences and interactions with the learners, also allowed for a subjective epistemology. A pyramid structure and framework was recommended to maximise support for learners experiencing an anxiety disorder. This framework is comprised of three pillars on which the learner’s success rests, namely: the enrolment procedure, having a support team and effective communication. The teachers indicated that by really getting to know their learners and responding to their needs, they could reduce feelings of anxiety in their learners. Finally, a goal for the near future was set to reduce the unwanted rise of anxious distress in young learners and adolescents so that they can be the successful adults of tomorrow.

Tot tussen 8% en 11% van kinders en adolessente ly aan angsversteurings wat tot spesifieke fobies, sosiale fobies, veralgemeende angsversteurings en obsessiewe gedrag aanleiding gee. In die kinder- en adolessensiejare is die risiko van angsversteurings hoog. Abnormaal hoë angsvlakke het ʼn skadelike uitwerking op kognitiewe funksionering, skolastiese prestasie en uitkomste. As ons geweet het waarom angsversteurings by kinders aan die toeneem is, kon op skool vir hierdie kinders voorsiening gemaak word. Leerhindernisse kan ook tot angsversteurings en swak akademiese prestasie aanleiding gee. ʼn Tipiese skoolgemeenskap is vir die navorsing gekies. Die studiedoelwit was om ʼn onderrigsteunplan waarvolgens angstige leerders aan leeraktiwiteite deelneem, te implementeer, en om riglyne vir doeltreffende onderrig- en leerstrategieë vir leerders met angsversteurings te gee. Wat leerders by die skool angstig maak, hoe angsversteurings bestuur word, en watter hulp beskikbaar is, was die drie navorsingsvrae. Deur dokumentontledings, vraelyste, waarnemings en veldaantekeninge is toepaslike data ingesamel. Daar is op gemengde metodes is as studiebenadering en ʼn vertolkende paradigma besluit. Die navorser het as deelnemer-waarnemer opgetree. Toepaslike, indringende data is met gemengde metodes gegenereer. Op grond van ʼn gevallestudie is angsversteurings by leerders en adolessente in hul natuurlike skoolomgewing deurtastend ontleed. ʼn Subjektiewe epistemologie was moontlik vanweë die navorser se eie belewenisse van en omgang met die leerders. ʼn Piramidestruktuur en raamwerk is aanbeveel om leerders met angsversteurings soveel as moontlik te help. Hierdie raamwerk berus op die drie pilare waarvan leerdersukses afhang, te wete die inskrywingsprosedure, ʼn ondersteuningspan, en doeltreffende kommunikasie. Onderwysers het laat blyk dat hulle angstigheid by leerders kan verminder deur hulle goed te leer ken sodat hulle leerders se behoeftes kan bevredig. Ten slotte is ʼn doel vir die afsienbare toekoms gestel, naamlik om angsversteurings by jong leerders en adolessente te verminder sodat hulle as die suksesvolle volwassenes van môre kan ontpop.

Izingane ezingaba yi-8 kuya kuyi-11% zinenkinga yokukhathazeka, engakhula ibe ukwesaba okuthile, ukusaba kwezenhlalo, ukuphazamiseka kokukhathazeka okujwayelekile nokuziphatha okungalawuleki. Ubuntwana nobusha bukhonjwa njengezigaba zokuthuthuka eziyingozi ukuqala kwezinkinga zokukhathazeka. Amazinga wokukhathazeka angajwayelekile anemiphumela emibi ekusebenzeni kwengqondo, ukusebenza kwesikole kanye nakuyimiphumela. Ukube beyaziwa ukuthi kungani izinkinga zokukhathazeka ezinganeni zikhula, bekungenziwa ezinye izinguquko ezabe zizolekelela laba bafundi ezikoleni. Izithiyo zokufunda nazo zingadala ukuphazamiseka kokukhathazeka, okuholele ekungenzi kahle kwabafundi ezifundweni. Umphakathi ojwayelekile wesikole wakhethwa ukwenza lolucwaningo. Inhloso enkulu yocwaningo kwakuwukwenza lula ukuqaliswa kohlelo lokusekelwa kwezemfundo, ukwenza abafundi abanokukhathazeka bakwazi ukubamba iqhaza emisebenzini yokufunda, nokunikeza imihlahlandlela yamasu wokufundisa nokufunda asebenzayo kubafundi abanenkinga yokukhathazeka. Okuchaza ukukhathazeka kubafundi esikoleni, zilawulwa kanjani lezi zinkinga zokukhathazeka nokuthi yikuphi ukwesekwa okutholakalayo, yimibuzo emithathu eyinhloko yocwaningo ebuziwe. Imininingwane efanelekile yaqoqwa ngokuhlaziywa kwemibhalo, imibuzo, ukubonwa kanye namanothi athathwa ngesikhathi kwenziwa ucwaningo. Indlela yokufunda ehlanganisiwe nezindlela zokuhumusha zikhethiwe, umcwaningi esebenza njengomqapheli obambe iqhaza. Ngohlelo lwezindlela ezixubekile, ulwazi olufanele nolujulile lwenziwa futhi ngokukhetha ukwenza ucwaningo lwesigameko, ukuhlaziywa okujulile kwezinkinga zokukhathazeka kubafundi nalabo basesigabeni sokuba yintsha esimweni esijwayelekile sabo semvelo sesikole kungenzeka. Isipiliyoni somcwaningi ngamunye kanye nokusebenzisana kwakhe nabafundi nakho kuvumele ukuba iphistemoloji ezenzakalelayo. Kunconywe isakhiwo nohlaka lwephiramidi ukukhulisa ukwesekwa kwabafundi ababhekene nenkinga yokukhathazeka.. Lolu hlaka luqukethe izinsika ezintathu lapho impumelelo yomfundi eyame khona, okuyilezi: inqubo yokubhalisa, ukuba neqembu elisekelayo, kanye nokuxhumana okusebenzayo. Othisha baveze ukuthi ngokwazi ngempela abafundi babo nokubhekana nezidingo zabo, bangehlisa imizwa yokukhathazeka kubafundi babo. Ekugcineni, kwahloselwa inhloso yekusasa elincishisiwe ukunciphisa ukukhuphuka okungafuneki kokukhathazeka kwabafundi abancane nentsha ukuze babe ngabantu abadala abaphumelelayo bakusasa.