Co esponding au ho : Lika Me abish ili
Copy igh © 2025 Au ho (s) e ain he copy igh o his a icle. This a icle is published unde he e ms o he C ea i e Commons A ibu ion Liscense 4.0.
Anxie y in ea ly childhood: Compa ing p eschoole s and i s -g ade s uden s
Lika Me abish ili 1, * and Na ali Gogo ish ili 2
1 Depa men o Psychology, School o Law and Social Sciences, Al e Uni e si y, Geo gia.
2 Depa men o Psychology, School o Humani ies and Social Sciences, Caucasus Uni e si y, Geo gia.
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1874-1879
Publica ion his o y: Recei ed on 18 July 2025; e ised on 24 Augus 2025; accep ed on 26 Augus 2025
A icle DOI: h ps://doi.o g/10.30574/wja .2025.27.2.3010
Abs ac
The a icle examines anxie y and i s ela ionship wi h emo ional and beha io al esponses in child en aged 5 o 7,
compa ing p eschoole s and i s -g ade s uden s. Using a mixed-me hods app oach, quali a i e da a we e ga he ed
h ough semi-s uc u ed in e iews wi h eache s, p eschool educa o s, and school psychologis s, while quan i a i e
da a we e collec ed ia online pa en su eys. S a is ical analysis using SPSS assessed anxie y di e ences be ween he
wo g oups and explo ed symp om p e alence by gende . Findings con i m ha anxie y signi ican ly in luences
emo ional egula ion and beha io ac oss educa ional se ings, wi h no able di e ences linked o school ansi ion and
social expec a ions. The esul s o e p ac ical insigh s o educa o s, psychologis s, and ca egi e s o be e suppo
child en’s emo ional de elopmen in ea ly educa ion.
Keywo ds: Anxie y; P eschool child en; Fi s -g ade schoolchild en; Emo ional egula ion; Ea ly childhood educa ion;
Child psychology; educa ional psychology
1. In oduc ion
Ea ly childhood anxie y and s ess play a c ucial ole in shaping child en’s emo ional, social, and academic de elopmen .
The ansi ion om kinde ga en o p ima y school ep esen s a pa icula ly sensi i e pe iod, du ing which child en
mus na iga e new en i onmen s, un amilia social expec a ions, and heigh ened academic demands. This s age can be
a signi ican sou ce o s ess, as child en begin o in e nalize no ms o communica ion, beha io al expec a ions, and
disciplina y s uc u es—o en wi hou ull conscious awa eness. Such changes can in ensi y eelings o anxie y, educe
concen a ion, and impede academic pe o mance.
Emo ional well-being and psychological s abili y a e undamen al o heal hy de elopmen , in luencing no only lea ning
ou comes bu also pee ela ionships and sel -con idence. Resea ch highligh s ha child en who ecei e adequa e
emo ional suppo du ing school ansi ions a e mo e likely o demons a e esilience, adap e ec i ely, and engage
posi i ely in he lea ning en i onmen . Consequen ly, unde s anding he psychological challenges associa ed wi h
school en y is essen ial o educa o s, psychologis s, and pa en s alike. By os e ing a suppo i e en i onmen and
p omo ing emo ional coping s a egies, ca egi e s can acili a e smoo he adap a ion, encou age social compe ence,
and lay he ounda ion o long- e m academic and pe sonal success.
2. Anxie y and Adap a ion Du ing School T ansi ion
The ansi ion om p eschool o o mal schooling cons i u es a pi o al de elopmen al miles one, equen ly
accompanied by heigh ened emo ional and beha io al challenges. Child en aged 5 o 7 a e pa icula ly ulne able o
s ess and anxie y as hey na iga e un amilia en i onmen s, adap o e ol ing social expec a ions, and assume new
academic esponsibili ies. [1] Ea ly childhood men al heal h—especially emo ional egula ion and social compe ence—
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plays a c ucial ole in success ul school adap a ion. When hese psychological needs a e unme , child en may exhibi
maladap i e beha io s, including eg ession, sleep dis u bances, o soma ic complain s [2]. The a ailabili y o
emo ional suppo om ca egi e s p o oundly in luences child en’s coping skills and he de elopmen o long- e m
esilience.[3] Fu he mo e, ea ly lea ne s a e s ill de eloping s ess managemen skills and s a egies o exp essing
hei emo ions, which inc eases hei suscep ibili y o anxie y- ela ed di icul ies. Consequen ly, e ec i e
communica ion among child en, educa o s, and pa en s is essen ial o os e ing emo ional secu i y and p omo ing
school eadiness. Add essing hese dynamics is c i ical o suppo ing child en’s holis ic de elopmen amid he socio-
emo ional and academic demands o ea ly schooling.
In con empo a y educa ional and amily con ex s, he ways in which pa en s and eache s communica e wi h child en
a e e ol ing. The in e nal and emo ional s a es o p eschool-aged child en a e s ongly exp essed ye inhe en ly
uns able. Thei emo ions can shi apidly— hey may become easily us a ed o igh ened— e lec ing he
ulne abili y ypical o ea ly school-aged child en. A he same ime, posi i e emo ions a e eadily elici ed. No ably, he
emo ional s a es o pa en s, ca egi e s, and pee s a e easily ansmi ed o child en, signi ican ly shaping hei mood
and o e all emo ional expe ience.[4]
S ess ac o s can nega i ely impac an indi idual’s men al, emo ional, and cogni i e unc ioning. In pa icula , s ess
eac ions and he in ensi y o anxie y play a signi ican ole in pe sonali y de elopmen . In school-aged child en, se e al
key ac o s con ibu e o he mani es a ion o anxie y and s ess, including adap i e esponses, he dual na u e o s ess
(bo h posi i e and nega i e), and coping s a egies. When aced wi h a pe cei ed h ea , a child becomes mobilized o
espond—an ins inc ual eac ion ha p omo es su i al. This esponse also in luences cogni i e de elopmen , as he
child lea ns o adap o a changing en i onmen . Such eac ions a e conside ed biologically adap i e, helping he child
build esilience and esis ance o po en ially ha m ul ac o s. [2]
Child en may exhibi nega i e mani es a ions o s ess, such as:
• Headaches
• Abdominal pain
• Sleep dis u bances
• Excessi e c ying
• Ea ing p oblems. [2]
One o he p ima y sou ces o s ess in child en is he daily challenges hey encoun e wi hin he academic en i onmen .
Pascoe’s me a-analysis indica es ha s uden s o en expe ience high le els o academic s ess. Such s ess can ha e
de imen al e ec s on bo h men al and physical heal h, con ibu ing o educed lea ning abili y, lowe academic
pe o mance, and diminished mo i a ion o engage in lea ning. [1]
Fo p eschool-aged child en, in e ac ions wi h pee s and engagemen in social ac i i ies a e essen ial, as hese
expe iences help de elop key social skills, including beha io al and emo ional unc ioning. Du ing his s age, child en
lea n o egula e hei emo ions and beha io , which in u n suppo s hei adap a ion o he school en i onmen and
adjus men o un amilia se ings. [5]
I is impo an o highligh he concep o social compe ence, which e e s o a child’s abili y o communica e e ec i ely
and engage ac i ely wi h o he s. This de ini ion emphasizes he ex en o which a child can es ablish connec ions and
collabo a e wi h pee s. Social compe ence also e lec s a child’s abili y o egula e hei beha io in un amilia social
si ua ions and he equency wi h which hey in e ac wi h o he s.[6]
2.1. Resea ch Design
The aim o his s udy is o examine and compa e le els o anxie y in p eschool-aged child en and i s -g ade s uden s
om bo h emo ional and beha io al pe spec i es, inco po a ing he pe spec i es o pa en s, eache s, and school
psychologis s.
The a ge g oup o his s udy consis s o p eschool-aged child en (5–6 yea s old) and i s -g ade s uden s (6–7 yea s
old), wi h a p ima y ocus on he aspec o anxie y.
In he quali a i e phase, in-dep h in e iews we e conduc ed wi h kinde ga en eache s, school eache s, and school
psychologis s o ga he de ailed insigh s in o anxie y mani es a ions in child en.
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In he second phase, a quan i a i e esea ch app oach was employed o iden i y he equency and in ensi y o anxie y
symp oms among p eschool and i s -g ade child en. A s anda dized, alida ed, and adap ed ins umen — he
P eschool Anxie y Scale Re ised (PAS-R)—was used. The ques ionnai e was adminis e ed online ia Google Fo ms and
comple ed by pa en s o 5-, 6-, and 7-yea -old child en. This ool aimed o assess di e en ypes o anxie y and hei
se e i y le els wi hin he a ge age g oups. Quan i a i e da a analysis enabled iden i ica ion o p e alen anxie y ypes
and hei equency in bo h coho s. Pa icipan s we e selec ed using a andom sampling me hod o ensu e
ep esen a i e da a.
The ques ionnai e consis ed o 28 i ems, each a ed on a i e-poin Like scale anging om 0 (“does no apply a all”)
o 4 (“applies e y equen ly”). The i ems we e designed o assess he p esence and equency o anxie y in daily li e,
as well as in school and kinde ga en se ings. This s uc u ed o ma acili a ed accu a e da a collec ion and suppo ed
obus quan i a i e analysis.
2.2. Quan i a i e Analysis o Anxie y Le els in Fi s -G ade and P eschool-Aged Child en
Acco ding o pa en al esponses, he s udy sample included 54.5% p eschool-aged child en (48 child en) and 45.5%
i s -g ade s uden s (40 child en). The majo i y we e male (54.5%, 48 boys), while 45.5% (40 child en) we e emale.
Rega ding age dis ibu ion, 5-yea -olds accoun ed o 43.2% (38 child en), 6-yea -olds o 31.8% (28 child en), and 7-
yea -olds o 25% (22 child en).
The su ey used s uc u ed ques ions o collec demog aphic da a, including child’s le el o educa ion (p eschool o
i s g ade), age (5, 6, o 7 yea s), and gende ( emale o male).
An impo an ocus o he s udy was anxie y ela ed o seeking help om adul s, such as eache s. Mos pa en s (45.5%)
epo ed ha hei child en had no di icul y asking o assis ance, indica ing us in eache s and com o in exp essing
hei needs. Howe e , 12.5% o pa en s s a ed ha hei child en o en showed signs o anxie y in such si ua ions,
sugges ing ha some child en con inue o ace challenges.
Ano he aspec examined was anxie y associa ed wi h sel -exp ession, such as speaking in on o pee s du ing
ac i i ies like “show and ell.” Resul s we e mixed: 14.8% o child en expe ienced anxie y e y equen ly, while 45.5%
displayed no signs o anxie y. These indings sugges ha o mos child en, posi i e class oom en i onmen s and
suppo i e pee ela ionships educe anxie y and acili a e sel -exp ession.
Sepa a ion anxie y du ing school o kinde ga en ansi ions was also analyzed. Pa en al esponses indica ed di e se
expe iences: 48.9% o child en some imes el anxious when apa om pa en s, 28.5% o en exp essed sepa a ion
anxie y, and 22.7% did no show anxie y. These esul s highligh indi idual di e ences in emo ional adjus men among
child en.
The s udy also explo ed social ini ia i e and willingness o engage wi h pee s. Nea ly hal o he pa en s (48.9%)
epo ed ha hei child en did no expe ience anxie y in g oup se ings, while 40.9% indica ed ha anxie y a ely
occu ed. This sugges s ha mos child en eel com o able pa icipa ing in g oup ac i i ies and ini ia ing pee
in e ac ions.
Anxie y in un amilia o no el si ua ions was ano he key ocus, pa icula ly as exp essed h ough ne ousness. The
majo i y o pa en s (80.7%) epo ed no anxie y when hei child en encoun e ed new en i onmen s, bu 19.3%
indica ed equen anxie y. This sugges s ha some child en equi e addi ional ime and suppo o adap o un amilia
con ex s.
Emo ional esponses o mis akes o impe ec pe o mance we e also examined. Resul s showed ha 27.3% o child en
o en became i i a ed when making e o s, whe eas 72.8% a ely expe ienced emo ional s ess, highligh ing indi idual
di e ences in sel - egula ion and ole ance o impe ec ion.
Shyness a ound un amilia people was ano he ele an ac o . Pa en s epo ed ha 36.3% o child en equen ly
exhibi ed shyness, while 45.4% did so occasionally, indica ing ha social anxie y is p esen o a no able po ion o
child en, pa icula ly in new in e pe sonal si ua ions.
Finally, he s udy examined di e ences in anxie y by gende and school le el. Gi ls had an a e age anxie y sco e o 43,
compa ed o 32 o boys, sugges ing highe anxie y le els among gi ls. Howe e , he p- alue o 0.161 indica es his
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di e ence is no s a is ically signi ican . Compa ison by school le el showed an a e age sco e o 34 o p eschoole s
and 42 o i s -g ade s uden s, wi h a p- alue o 0.368, also no s a is ically signi ican .
In summa y, pa en al esponses e ealed ends o highe anxie y among gi ls and i s -g ade s uden s compa ed o
boys and p eschoole s. While hese indings a e no ewo hy, he lack o s a is ical signi icance means hey should be
in e p e ed cau iously and limi ed o he s udy sample.
2.3. Quali a i e Insigh s in o Anxie y Types and Managemen in P eschool and Fi s -G ade S uden s
Du ing he semi-s uc u ed in e iew wi h he p eschool educa o , he ocus was on se e al key aspec s: he equency
o anxie y in kinde ga en, he ela ionship be ween anxie y and a achmen o he mo he , and he s a egies employed
by eache s o alle ia e anxie y in child en.
The esul s e ealed ha anxie y is qui e common among p eschool-aged child en. Sepa a ion om he mo he was
s ongly associa ed wi h emo ional dis ess, as child en ini ially s uggle o adap independen ly o he p eschool
en i onmen . E en child en who do no show dis ess on hei i s day o en begin o exp ess anxie y in subsequen
days, some imes e using o e u n o kinde ga en wi hou hei pa en . The ini ial absence o isible anxie y is o en
explained by no el y, cu iosi y, and exci emen , bu by he second o hi d day, as he newness ades, anxie y becomes
e iden .
“Anxie y is qui e common. On hei i s isi o kinde ga en, child en ind i di icul o sepa a e om hei mo he s and
show signs o a achmen . Ou o 20 new child en, app oxima ely 15 c y. I is a e o a child no o be anxious. E en hose
who do no ini ially show anxie y may no wan o e u n by he second o hi d day.” (P eschool eache , emale)
The s udy also explo ed he me hods used o build us and educe emo ional dis ess. Findings indica ed ha he e is
no uni e sal app oach; a he , indi idualized s a egies a e essen ial. Co e elemen s such as wa m h, emo ional
suppo , and accep ance o he child’s emo ional s a e we e consis en ly highligh ed.
Some child en, howe e , do no espond o di ec a en ion o suppo , p e e ing hei mo he exclusi ely. In such
cases, gi ing child en space and a oiding p essu e was ound o be mos e ec i e.
“The e a e child en who nei he need no seek wa m h om you. They jus wan hei mo he and e use o accep my
suppo . In such cases, we gi e hem ime o deal wi h i independen ly because no s a egy wo ks. Igno ing isible anxie y
and educing a en ion has been e ec i e. E e y child equi es an indi idualized app oach ha mee s hei emo ional
needs.” (P eschool eache , emale)
Beha io al exp essions o anxie y a ied. Many child en ini ially exhibi ed indi ec o ms o anxie y, such as agg ession
o p o es owa d pee s a he han he eache . O e ime, hese beha io s gene ally diminished as child en adap ed.
On a e age, i ook app oxima ely wo mon hs o child en o ully acclima e o he p eschool en i onmen .
“Child en exp ess anxie y and emo ional ension in a ious ways—some imes by ac ing agg essi ely owa d hei pee s.
They c ea e discom o o o he child en because hey a e a aid o di ec hei eelings owa d he eache . I emembe a
ew cases whe e child en, in momen s o dis ess, e en bi hei classma es.” (P eschool eache , emale)
To examine anxie y in i s -g ade s uden s, a semi-s uc u ed in e iew was conduc ed wi h a home oom eache . The
discussion ocused on child en’s beha io du ing school in eg a ion and s a egies used o c ea e a suppo i e
class oom a mosphe e.
C ea ing a posi i e, joy ul, and welcoming en i onmen on he i s day o school was emphasized as c i ical. Child en
we e encou aged o associa e he beginning o he school yea wi h exci emen a he han ea . Sha ing pe sonal
expe iences and alida ing emo ional s a es helped s uden s ecognize ha anxie y is no mal and empo a y. Allowing
s uden s o explo e he school and hea om olde s uden s who aced simila challenges ein o ced a sense o sha ed
expe ience and us .
“On he i s day, we c ea e a e y chee ul and wa m a mosphe e. I a child is anxious, I alk o hem and sha e my own
expe ience, explaining ha hese eelings a e no mal and hey will adjus . I show hem a ound he school and sha e s o ies
o olde s uden s who had simila expe iences.” (Fi s -g ade eache , emale)
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The eache also no ed ha g oup ac i i ies and collabo a i e wo k can igge anxie y, pa icula ly due o pe cei ed
esponsibili y. Some child en p e e ed wo king independen ly o a oid s ess associa ed wi h mis akes o e alua ion.
“They ha e di icul y pa icipa ing. E en hough hey begin o communica e wi h pee s, hey eel a s ong sense o
esponsibili y, leading o anxie y. Some s uden s p e e wo king independen ly o main ain con ol and accoun abili y.”
(Fi s -g ade eache , emale)
Based on en yea s o expe ience, he eache iden i ied sepa a ion anxie y om he mo he as a p ima y cause o school-
ela ed anxie y. Child en om uns able o chao ic home en i onmen s we e especially ulne able. Typically, he
adap a ion pe iod las ed app oxima ely h ee mon hs— he du a ion o he i s semes e —wi h he possibili y o
ex ending up o a yea in a e cases.
“One o he mos signi ican causes o anxie y is missing hei mo he s. They s uggle wi h sepa a ion. I akes he i s h ee
mon hs o ully unde s and he new en i onmen and adap o he ou ine.” (Fi s -g ade eache , emale)
“The i s semes e is emo ionally di icul . Child en need special emo ional suppo and s onge connec ions. In a e cases,
his pe iod may ex end up o a yea .” (School psychologis , emale)
The school psychologis highligh ed he impo ance o p epa ing child en be o e hei i s o icial isi . Familia iza ion
wi h he school en i onmen , guided discussions abou ules, expec a ions, and ou ines, and consis en collabo a ion
among pa en s, eache s, and psychologis s we e iden i ied as essen ial s a egies o educing anxie y and p omo ing
emo ional well-being.
3. Discussion
The p esen s udy p o ides aluable insigh s in o he mani es a ion o anxie y among p eschool-aged child en and i s -
g ade s uden s du ing he ansi ion o o mal schooling. Quan i a i e indings indica ed a highe equency o anxie y
symp oms among p eschoole s compa ed o i s -g ade s, sugges ing ha p io exposu e o s uc u ed lea ning
en i onmen s may help bu e ini ial s ess esponses.
Quali a i e da a en iched hese indings by iden i ying he p edominan ypes o anxie y—p ima ily sepa a ion anxie y
and pe o mance- ela ed ea s—and emphasizing he c i ical ole o pa en al in ol emen and eache suppo in
acili a ing emo ional adjus men . Pa icipan s equen ly highligh ed s a egies such as play-based ac i i ies, emo ional
alida ion, and he es ablishmen o consis en ou ines as e ec i e in educing anxie y symp oms.
These esul s a e consis en wi h de elopmen al heo ies ha unde sco e he impo ance o secu e a achmen and
g adual adap a ion in ea ly childhood. Fu he mo e, he s udy highligh s he need o ea ly iden i ica ion o emo ional
di icul ies and he p o ision o p oac i e psychological suppo wi hin educa ional se ings. O e all, he indings
con ibu e o a deepe scien i ic unde s anding o ea ly childhood anxie y and poin o speci ic, con ex -sensi i e
in e en ions ha can p omo e child en’s emo ional well-being du ing school ansi ions.
Limi a ion o he S udy
This s udy has se e al limi a ions ha should be conside ed when in e p e ing he indings. Fi s , he sample included
only neu o ypical child en, excluding hose wi h Au ism Spec um Diso de (ASD), which limi s he applicabili y o he
esul s o b oade de elopmen al p o iles. Second, he sample size was ela i ely small and geog aphically cons ained,
educing he gene alizabili y o he indings. Fu u e esea ch would bene i om a la ge , mo e di e se sample o be e
cap u e he ull ange o childhood anxie y exp essions and coping mechanisms.
4. Conclusion
The mani es a ions o anxie y in p eschool child en and i s -g ade s uden s ep esen a signi ican and widesp ead
issue. The eme gence o anxie y is o en ine i able du ing he p ocess o in eg a ing in o he school en i onmen . I is
he e o e essen ial o p o ide de ailed in o ma ion abou he speci ics o anxie y symp oms in o de o alle ia e
emo ional s ess in child en.
Quan i a i e analysis e ealed he equency o anxie y mani es a ions in p eschool and i s -g ade child en om an
emo ional-beha io al pe spec i e, highligh ing he p esence and impac o anxie y in hei daily li es. S a is ical analysis
o su ey esponses u he examined di e ences based on gende , showing ha boys exhibi signi ican ly lowe le els
Wo ld Jou nal o Ad anced Resea ch and Re iews, 2025, 27(02), 1874-1879
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o anxie y compa ed o gi ls. Fo compa a i e pu poses, he equency o anxie y mani es a ions was also assessed
ac oss p eschool and i s -g ade child en using a sco ing sys em combined wi h s a is ical e alua ion.
Quali a i e indings p o ided insigh in o he ypes and le els o anxie y p esen in schools and kinde ga ens,
emphasizing he c i ical ole o a achmen o pa en s. The s udy iden i ied e ec i e me hods o p e en ing high
anxie y le els du ing school in eg a ion and ou lined s a egies used by educa o s o educe anxie y in kinde ga en
se ings. Addi ionally, he esea ch de e mined he a e age du a ion o adap a ion o school and kinde ga en
en i onmen s.
O e all, he hypo hesis ha anxie y le els in p eschool and i s -g ade child en signi ican ly in luence hei emo ional
and beha io al esponses was con i med.
Compliance wi h e hical s anda ds
Disclosu e o con lic o in e es
No con lic o in e es o be disclosed.
S a emen o in o med consen
In o med consen was ob ained om all indi idual pa icipan s included in he s udy.
Re e ences
[1] Pascoe, M. C. e al., “The impac o s ess on s uden s in seconda y school and highe educa ion,” 2019.
[2] L. Akhaladze, “The physiological p ocess o s ess and anxie y in ea ly age kids and school child en and ways o
o e come hem,” 2023.
[3] M. T us ees, “Pa en ing he P eschoole Social Compe ence & Emo ional Well-Being Fac Shee s,” 2021.
[4] M. Da i adze, “P oblems o P epa ing a Child o School in P eschool Educa ion,” 2019.
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