Transcript The Impact of Worry, Sadness & Perfectionism on School

The Impact of Worry,
Sadness & Perfectionism
on School Performance
Ina Nyko, School Psychologist
Enloe & Broughton High School
Presentation Overview
▪ What Is the difference between Worry, Sadness, and Perfectionism
▪ What is “Perception of threat?”
▪ What can be done to address behaviors that impact school
performance
▪ Resources for parents & teens
▪ CAUTION: There is a difference between worry, sadness,
perfectionism and psychiatric conditions such as Anxiety &
Depression
Reframe - Situations That Are Not As
Successful as One Would Like
Worry / Anxiety and perfectionism
▪ All can be protective and essential behaviors for survival.
Anxiety is a feeling of worry, nervousness, or unease,
typically about an imminent event or something with an
uncertain outcome. Perfectionism is a trait, whereby a
person refuses to accept any standard short of perfection.
▪ Either can become problematic when the behaviors
associated with this begin to negatively affect an individual
to a marked degree, which interferes with someone’s
ability to fully enjoy their teenage life. Most people
consider either to be a problem when it causes significant
distress or interference for the teen or the family.
Anxiety: Reactions to the Perception of
threat
▪ In prehistoric times, humans faced challenges different from
those they face today. When confronted with a threat such as a
lion, the brain would send the signal, “Threat!” and the body
would respond by shooting hormones, such as adrenaline, into
the bloodstream at lightning speed. That made the body
immediately stronger and faster so the human could either
fight or run away very fast (flight). When humans either fought
or ran away, the physical exertion would disperse the
hormones, and the body chemistry would quickly return to
normal.
Examples then and now
▪ In prehistoric times, a human might be confronted by a saber tooth
tiger. The brain would send the signal, “Threat!” That made the body
immediately stronger and faster so the human could either fight or
run away very fast (flight).
▪ Today, a person may become anxious when they look at the history
test their teacher has just handed out and realize they don’t know
any of the answers.
▪ Our brain acknowledges a threat but can’t distinguish between a
tiger and a test. It reacts to the “perception of a threat” the same
way.
.
Understanding Perfectionistic Behavior
Biological
• Writing/Drawing v Sports
• How family reacted to situations
Family
• Older siblings
• Excessive expectation
• Feel guilty
Perception of Differences
• Compensation
▪ Students who are Perfectionists .
▪ having exceptionally high expectations for
themselves;
• being self-critical, self-conscious and easily
embarrassed;
• having strong feelings of inadequacy and
low self-confidence;
• exhibiting persistent anxiety about making
mistakes;
• being highly sensitive to criticism;
• procrastinating and avoiding stressful
situations or difficult tasks;
• being emotionally guarded and socially
inhibited;
• having a tendency to be critical of others;
• exhibiting difficulty making decisions and
prioritizing tasks;
• experiencing headaches or other physical
ailments when they perform below the
expectations of themselves or others.
Causes of Perfectionistic Behavior cont..
Differences
• Control what they can
• Improve Self-Worth
Cultural / Religious Factors
• High expectations from family
• Family elders rely on their success
Trauma or Turbulent Environment
• Attempt to cope with external stress
Understanding Behaviors from Covey’s
Four Quadrant Model
What Depression Looks like in Teens
Characteristics of Depression in Adolescents
What It Looks Like in School
Decreased self-esteem and feelings of selfworth
Self-deprecating comments
Mild irritability
Defiance with authority figures, difficulties
interacting with peers, argumentativeness
Negative perceptions of student's past and
present
Pessimistic comments, suicidal thoughts
Peer rejection
Isolation, frequent change in friends
Lack of interest and involvement in previously
enjoyed activities
Isolation and withdrawal
Boredom
Sulking, noncompliance
Impulsive and risky behavior
Theft, sexual activity, alcohol or drug use,
truancy
Substance abuse
Acting out of character, sleeping in class
Distress vs. Interference
▪ Examples of distress:
– crying every day before going to school, because a parent does not stay
– having an upset stomach every time there is an important test at school
▪ Examples of interference:
–
–
–
–
refusal to go on school field trips because of anxiety
being very slow in play or failure to join in with other children
wanting to stay home sick on the day of a school presentation
not wanting to participate in unfamiliar activities
Resources
▪ National Association of School Psychologists
– http://www.nasponline.org/communications/spawareness/depressclass_ho.pdf
– http://www.nasponline.org/resources/principals/Anxiety_NASSP_Oct09.pdf
▪ ASCD Educational Leadership:
http://www.ascd.org/publications/educationalleadership/oct10/vol68/num02/Responding-to-a-Student%27sDepression.aspx
▪ https://lsc.cornell.edu/Sidebars/Study_Skills_Resources/anxiety.pdf
Strategies to help Students with
Depression
▪ Give frequent feedback on academic, social, and behavioral performance.
▪ Teach the student how to set goals and self-monitor.
▪ Teach problem-solving skills.
▪ Coach the student in ways to organize, plan, and execute tasks demanded daily or weekly in
school.
▪ Develop modifications and accommodations to respond to the student's fluctuations in mood,
ability to concentrate, or side effects of medication. Assign one individual to serve as a primary
contact and coordinate interventions.
▪ Give the student opportunities to engage in social interactions.
▪ Frequently monitor whether the student has suicidal thoughts.
▪ Develop a home–school communication system to share information on the student's academic,
social, and emotional behavior and any developments concerning medication or side effects.
Strategies to help students who are
Perfectionists
▪ 1. Admit to making mistakes and model constructive coping skills.
▪ 2. Provide a calm, uncluttered, and structured environment.
▪ 3. Create opportunities for success that will enhance the student`s self-confidence.
▪ 4. Comment on the child`s strengths and accomplishments. Do this privately when
deemed appropriate or write down constructive observations.
▪ 5. Avoid comparing students.
▪ 6. If possible, reduce the academic pressure on these children by altering the
grading system.
▪ 7. Involve them in setting realistic standards for themselves.
From http://www.kellybear.com/TeacherArticles/TeacherTip53.html
Strategies to help Students with “Test
Anxiety”
▪ Stay relaxed, if you begin to get nervous, take a few deep breaths slowly to relax
yourself & then get back to work.
▪ Read the directions slowly & carefully.
▪ If you don’t understand the directions on the test, ask the teacher to explain them
to you.
▪ Skim through the test so that you have a good idea about how to pace yourself.
▪ Write down important formulas, facts, definitions/key words in the margins first so
you won’t worry about forgetting them.
▪ Do the simple questions first to help build up your confidence for the harder
questions.
▪ Focus on the question at hand. Don’t let your mind wander.
From http://testtakingtips.com/anxiety/index.htm