Early childhood is a uniquely nuanced time; in many cases, it is very difficult for adults to tell the difference between a child’s colorful personality and an inherent disability. A child who demonstrates an inconsistent attention span, for example, may appear to simply be distracted. An educator may attribute this behavior to excitement or innocence when, in fact, the child may suffer from something much more subtle and intrinsic. Researchers have indicated that signs of anxiety disorders can be detected in children as young as three. Children living with anxiety may experience negative short- and long-term effects if it goes undetected. Given unprecedented times, anxiety has become quite prevalent. Therefore, it is imperative to raise awareness of and increase training in and identification of signs and symptoms. The present study is a qualitative study designed to increase what is known about anxiety in preschoolers. This research also explores teachers’ perceptions of preschoolers who are anxious or have anxiety disorders and examines teachers’ self-efficacy in recognizing and managing such preschoolers. Suggestions are made for future research to improve practices in the early identification of childhood anxiety in a school setting.

Last modified

• 11/17/2023

Creator

• Hughes, Sherry

Subject

• Education

Publisher

• Saint Peter's University

Keyword

• Educational leadership
• Early childhood education
• Mental health
• Preschoolers
• Anxiety
• Pedagogy
• Disorders

Date created

• 2021

Resource type

• Dissertation

Rights statement

• In Copyright - Educational Use Permitted