Generalized anxiety disorder in the classroom

Interventions for students with generalized anxiety disorder require attention to contextual factors both within and outside the classroom. They often are based on the principles of increasing environmental predictability and increasing the student’s sense of self-efficacy. Good judgment is sometimes needed to determine which strategies constitute reasonable accommodations to the student’s anxiety and which constitute an excessive deviation from usual school expectations. The latter can single out students unnecessarily or limit their academic progress. Working closely with parents and mental health professionals involved in the student’s care is most likely to ensure a consistently helpful approach.