Mumbai : A study conducted by King Edward Memorial (KEM) Hospital shows that school children in the city are suffering from anxiety resulting in a decrease in the academic performance. The researcher said it was the must needed study as the cases of anxiety was increasing in the teenagers and the reason for the increased prevalence is still unknown.
“There was an urgent need to start screening interventions for anxiety disorders to prevent future psychological complications like depression, substance abuse and suicidal tendencies,” added researcher. Nearly 493 students between 8 to 15 years from four English medium, private schools were enrolled in the study. The researcher said the academic performance of these students decreased and was constant by obtaining 60-90 percent marks or Grade B for the past 2 years.
According to the study, one in 10 students between the ages of 8 and 15, showed symptoms of anxiety. Among older students (12-15 years), one in five reported symptoms of anxiety.
“Symptoms of overall anxiety were present in 10.8 per cent of students with older students (12–15 years old) having greater odds (18 per cent) of overall anxiety symptoms than their younger counterparts,” said Dr Sunil Karande, who conducted the study. The study was conducted by the paediatric and clinical pharmacology departments of KEM Hospital, the study has been published in the Journal of Postgraduate Medicine.
KEM Hospital’s study found obsessive-compulsive behaviour was reported by the highest number of students (146 or 29.6 per cent). Of the 493 students, 27.2 per cent said they feared physical injury and 12 per cent said they felt separation anxiety. Students also reported general anxiety (9.5 per cent) and social anxiety (7.7 per cent).
“The anxiety disorders usually remain undiagnosed due to the internalised nature of their symptoms. Moreover, they have been found to negatively affect students in terms of academic, social, and personal development.”
Although the study covers only four schools, Dr Karande said that the study’s findings point at a serious mental health issue in this demographic.