African Educational Research Journal - Vol. 12(2) - Full Length Research Paper - Well-being of the students - What matters?

Oct 15, 2026

Adolescent anxiety is highly prevalent globally and is especially common during schooling as emotional and biopsychosocial well-being change over time. In Mauritius, increasing numbers of adolescents receiving psychiatric treatment and school-reported cases indicate a growing educational concern. This exploratory study identifies causal factors of anxiety and examines the role of educational social workers. Ten participants, including social workers and psychologists, contributed via a semistructured focus group. Thematic analysis highlights academic anxiety, followed by bullying and family issues, with school-level impacts such as reduced concentration, non-participation, and emotional distress, leading to recommendations for teacher empowerment and peer counselling.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages7

Reading Time18 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Introduction

College transition and stress

Definitions and diagnostic criteria

Anxiety disorder prevalence and theories

Context of stressors in college life

African Educational Research Journal Vol. 12(2), pp. 78-84, April 2024 DOI: 10. 30918/AERJ.122.24.010 ISSN: 2354-2160 Full Length Research Paper Well-being of the students – What matters? Meera Gungea Open University of Mauritius, Mauritius. Accepted 4 March, 2024 | ABSTRACT
Anxiety disorders are highly prevalent globally and it is much more prevalent among adolescents because of their exposure to a variety of stressors. Research shows that emotional and biopsychosocial well-being changes over the course of their schooling, with a general increase in anxiety, highlighting the need to further investigate the risk factors that contribute to worry and anxiety symptoms among college student populations. In Mauritius, there has been a rise in the number of adolescents who are recipients of psychiatric treatments at the local government hospitals as well as an increase in the number of cases reported to the school authorities. The present study aimed to identify the causal factors of anxiety among adolescents, and its effects in the educational context. Further, the role of educational social workers in overcoming anxiety was explored and the aim was achieved using the exploratory approach. A focus group discussion using a semistructured questionnaire was conducted with ten (10) people including educational social workers and educational psychologists recruited through convenience sampling. A thematic analysis of the data shows academic anxiety as an emerging factor, followed by bullying and lastly, family issues. The findings revealed impacts at the school level such as students’ inability to concentrate in class, non-participative and also showing emotional distress. While educational social workers provide counselling to students and parents, a need for teacher empowerment and peer counselling are proposed as future avenues.
Keywords: Adolescent anxiety, student anxiety disorder, social work intervention. | | --- | | *Corresponding [author. Email: m.gungea@open.ac.mu](author. Email: m.gungea@open.ac.mu). | INTRODUCTION College life may sound fun-packed for many adolescents but can actually be challenging for many others. According to Kumaraswamy (2013), college depicts a significant shift from the adolescent period of high school to early adulthood life. Such a transition contributes to stress buildup, which may require substantial coping resources. Although optimal stress is vital for personal growth, too much stress can overwhelm a student and impair their capacity to cope. This may depend on the nature, frequency, and persistence of the stressors and how it is managed. Unfortunately for those who are unable to manage stress, it can lead to anxiety-related issues. Anxiety is defined by persistent, excessive worries that do not go away even in the absence of a stressor. Such anxiety-related issues impact the psychosocial well-being of the student, which may have spill over effects on their academic performance and holistic development. APA (2013) defines anxiety as “apprehensive anticipation of future danger or misfortune accompanied by a feeling of worry, distress, and/or somatic symptoms”. Specific criteria for diagnosing anxiety disorders, including panic disorder, social anxiety disorder, generalised anxiety disorder, and particular phobias, are provided by DSM V (APA, 2013) . To diagnose, one must note the occurrence of persistent and elevated fear or anxiety related to specific circumstances or objects that have caused noticeable distress or impairment for at least six months. Anxiety is described by Allen et al. (1995) as an unpleasant sensation of anxiety and apprehension that is marked by discomfort brought on by the expectation of danger or anything unfamiliar or odd. According to their perspective, anxiety is diagnosed as a disease when it reaches a Gungea 79 severe degree that is out of proportion to the stimulus and interferes with a person's capacity to function daily, enjoy emotional

FAQs

What was the study’s main aim regarding adolescent anxiety in educational settings?

The study aimed to identify causal factors of anxiety among adolescents and examine its effects in the educational context, including the role of educational social workers in overcoming anxiety.

How was data collected and analyzed in the study?

An exploratory approach was used, with a focus group discussion using a semistructured questionnaire. Thematic analysis was applied to the data.

Which factors emerged as key contributors to anxiety according to the thematic analysis?

Academic anxiety emerged first, followed by bullying, and lastly family issues.

Oct 15, 2026

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