Features Of Anxiety And Attention In Elementary School Students Of The Russian North

Abstract

A child’s body in the contemporary educational process with innovative programs and electronic devices, along with insufficient motor activity, against the background of low reserve capacity in the North, experiences the psychoemotional stress. The objective of our study was to investigate the anxiety and attention in elementary school students in the northern cities of Magadan Oblast. The study was conducted on elementary school students (9.9±0.05 years of age) in the regional center of Magadan and the remote town of Magadan Oblast, Susuman. Group I consisted of 108 Magadan school students, whereas Group II included 82 Susuman school students. Methods — we used the methodology of multidimensional assessment of childhood anxiety (MACA). To investigate the function of attention, we used the method of proofreading modified by V.N. Amatuni. Results — the number of anxious children was 42% in Magadan and 26% in Susuman. Magadan children were significantly more anxious than their Susuman peers on five of ten scales: in connection with the evaluation by others (M±SE: p=0.013; Me [Q1; Q3]: p<0.05); in their relationships with teachers (p=0.003; p<0.01); in terms of their learning success (p=0.016; p<0.05); in situations of knowledge testing (p=0.022; p<0.05); and they also exhibited an increase in their autonomic reactivity associated with anxiety (p=0.040; p<0.05). It was revealed as well that the neurodynamic characteristics of attention were better in the group of Susuman children. Conclusion — It can be assumed that elementary school students in small remote towns are less at risk of school maladjustment and are more efficient than their peers living in larger cities, where anxiety is higher, which complicates the learning process.