Fear of School (phobia):
Why do children feel anxiety in the school environment? What is there to be afraid of at school?
From the eyes of a child who will be separated from his parents for a long time, perhaps for the first time in his life, both the separation process and the school environment are full of unknowns.
What are the unknowns and difficulties that children experience at school?
– First of all, he will try to get to know the school as a place and get used to it,
– He will try to develop the ability to stay away from home for a long time, away from his mother,
– He will get used to his teacher and try to get his favor
– Perhaps for the first time alone he will make and maintain new friendships and become a desirable individual in a group.
– Will undertake difficult mental tasks such as reading and writing.
– Will learn to follow school rules and share.
– He will take care of his basic needs by himself (he will have to make his own toilet or eat his own food).
These tasks, which can be considered very easy for us adults, may be perceived as too heavy for the child to cope with. Faced with so much uncertainty, the child’s negative thoughts begin. These negative thoughts, which he creates with his imagination, affect emotions and behaviors and create symptoms (Details are given in the section called What is an anxiety disorder. Link).
What are the negative thoughts of children with School Phobia?
When the child does not see the mother ‘in front of her eyes’, she thinks that something will happen to her or something will happen to her. She dreams that her parents may have abandoned her and that after her mother leaves, the people there will start treating her badly.
It is not comfortable. It perceives the environment as frightening. They are on the alert for unexpected dangers.
What emotions and behaviors are seen?
Feels anxiety when hearing the school name or approaching the school. They are nervous, they may be tearful. Sometimes they exhibit avoidance behaviors to avoid going. When the mother tries to drop her off at school, they may give severe attacks of anger and resistance reactions. In some cases, more chronic and insidious symptoms occur. When the child goes to school, he does not feel comfortable and has difficulty expressing himself. Sometimes, bodily (somatic) symptoms are seen.
What are the somatic symptoms we see in School Phobia?
– Abdominal pain,
– Headache,
– Nausea,
– Vomiting,
– Difficulty in breathing,
– Palpitations,
– Facial pallor or flushing,
– Symptoms such as sweating and trembling are seen. These symptoms are associated with school. They tend to decrease on weekends.
Why do most children experience school phobia while some children experience these anxiety symptoms?
There are 2 different views on this subject.
Biological view:
Biological view has gained weight in studies conducted in recent years. In summary, according to this view, it is suggested that a genetically transmitted BIO-Spiritual structure that triggers the development of other anxiety disorders is the most important reason. According to this model, it has been shown that fear centers (such as amygdala) that evaluate fear stimuli from the environment work more actively.
Peripheral view: (attitudes of the environment in which the child is brought up)
Foster Family Model:
Protects their child too much, cares a lot, is very Anxiety disorders are more common in children of families who love, never leave their child alone, and do not allow the child to act alone. In this family structure, the independence of the child is prevented. If the family does not fulfill the demands of their children, they are very worried that the child will be affected badly and make a lot of sacrifices. Children who do not gain enough experience from experience and development opportunities perceive the world as a dangerous place and think that they cannot cope with the frightening situation.
Sometimes, a negative experience in family, school or friends triggers school anxiety. What are these triggers?
– Being away from school (Most common)
– Family tension (Illness, death, fights)
– Problems with friends at school (exclusion, especially older children !! )
– Change of school or teacher
– Birth of sibling
– Traumatic experience for school (beating, insulting words)
– Sexual or Negative experiences, such as physical abuse
, may appear as triggers for school phobia. These experiences are often triggers that initiate anxiety disorders in anxiety-prone children.
In summary, school phobia is a frequently encountered and important mental problem that affects the child’s thoughts, feelings and behaviors and may affect his education life.
What should family and school do to deal with this problem?
Best regards
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