Suddards, Amy;
(2023)
Reducing anxiety at mainstream secondary school: An appreciative exploration comparing the views of anxious and non-anxious young people.
Doctoral thesis (D.Ed.Psy), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
The prevalence of anxiety for young people in England is increasing (NHS Digital, 2021). Young people with special educational needs and disabilities are more likely to experience anxiety (Bunting et al., 2022; NHS Digital, 2021), and often experience a more challenging transition to secondary school compared to their peers (McCoy et al., 2020). Current national statistics suggest that these factors may coincide to lead to difficulties with school attendance (DfE, 2022), a problem that schools and educational psychology services are responding to nationally (Corcoran & Kelly, 2023; DfE 2023). The school environment is experienced by many young people as anxiety inducing, despite the role that schools are given to reduce anxiety and promote positive mental health. The present study set out to explore the views of young people to understand how secondary schools may be able to reduce the impact of negative environmental stressors that add to anxiety levels. Two groups of young people in Year 8 in a mainstream secondary school participated, identified as ‘anxious’ and ‘non-anxious’. A strengths-based approach was adopted and views were explored through Appreciative inquiry, including the use of focus groups and semi-structured interviews. Data were analysed using thematic analysis, followed by a cross-case comparison to understand what is supportive to all young people versus some. Findings suggest that anxiety can be reduced for all young people through supportive relationships; aspects of the physical environment; and engaging learning experiences. For young people who present with anxiety, targeted adjustments in these areas are suggested to facilitate feeling able to meet school demands, which was identified as a contributor to their lived experience of anxiety at school. Implications for schools and EPs are discussed with regards to identifying, understanding and responding to anxiety, including targeted support that may be necessary during and following the transition to secondary school.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | D.Ed.Psy |
| Title: | Reducing anxiety at mainstream secondary school: An appreciative exploration comparing the views of anxious and non-anxious young people |
| Open access status: | An open access version is available from UCL Discovery |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2023. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > School of Education > UCL Institute of Education > IOE - Psychology and Human Development |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10176016 |
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