Exploring Teachers’ Perspectives on Child Anxiety: Opportunities to Promote Anxiety Management Skills in the Classroom
Abstract
The purpose of the current study was to examine how teachers identify and provide supports for students with anxiety as well as their perspectives on implementing strategies informed from cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) in the classroom. Data was collected from 11 classroom teachers in London, Ontario through virtual focus group sessions and an online demographic questionnaire. Thematic analysis revealed three key themes: opportunities to implement CBT-informed strategies, barriers to implementing CBT-informed strategies, and current knowledge and resources. The findings revealed that teachers perceived that they are facing increased demands to support the mental health needs of students without appropriate resources and training. The findings also outlined potential opportunities and barriers that teachers identified with regards to implementing CBT-informed strategies in the classroom. These insights could be used to develop CBT-informed programs for teachers that are both practical and effective in the classroom setting. Providing teachers with the necessary knowledge and support is important to improve overall identification and intervention supports for children and youth with anxiety.