An Intervention for Anxiety in Children: The Zen Den

Presenter

Alexandra Grace Walter

Campus

Framingham State University

Sponsor

Brian J. Souza, Department of Nutrition and Health Studies, Framingham State University

Schedule

Session 1, 10:30 AM - 11:15 AM [Schedule by Time][Poster Grid for Time/Location]

Location

Poster Board A50, Campus Center Auditorium, Row 3 (A41-A60) [Poster Location Map]

Abstract

Growing rates of anxiety in children demand early effective interventions. Existing literature indicates that children require connection, education, support, and play to best meet their social-emotional needs. This paper explains the biological processes of stress, diagnostic requirements for the seven types of anxiety, evaluates existing research on anxiety for children in kindergarten through eighth grade, and proposes an intervention in schools. Further, exploring the long-term consequences of stress illustrates the impact of allostatic load on multiple biological systems such as the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. Anxiety in children is explored through the lens of the social-ecological model, illustrating the myriad of contributing factors of anxiety in children. Existing research on social-emotional development and evaluation of existing programs guides the creation of the Zen-Den. The adaptable Zen-Den tool has the capacity to fit the needs of any classroom. Based off extensive research, I propose a basic Zen-Den model with options to expand depending on available resources. The developmental age groups explored in this paper are kindergarten through second grade, third through fifth grade, and sixth through eighth grade. The goal is to provide children with necessary social-emotional skills to thrive in life such as emotion recognition, self-advocacy, and coping skills.  

Keywords

Public Health, Mental health, school intervention, emotional competency , stress

Research Area

Mental Health

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