The relationship between language teachers' attitudes and the state‐trait anxiety of adolescents with dyslexia

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the role anxiety plays in the lives of adolescents with dyslexia by including a school perspective with special emphasis on the role of the teacher. The state‐trait anxiety of 68 adolescents with dyslexia and their language teachers' attitudes towards them were compared with an equal number of matched controls. State‐trait anxiety was measured by the Greek adaptation (Psychountaki, 1995) of Spielberger's State‐Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children (Spielberger, Edwards, Lushene et al, 1973). The Teacher's Questionnaire, designed specifically for the needs of this study, was used for the measurement of the language teachers' attitudes. Interviews were conducted with the adolescents with dyslexia who exhibited the highest and lowest state (reading) anxiety. They reported significantly higher reading anxiety and lower trait anxiety in comparison with the control group. The language teachers of the adolescents with dyslexia expressed more positive attitudes than the controls. Reading anxiety was related to trait anxiety, especially when the language teachers expressed low irritability, which was one of the teachers' attitudes measured. In the interviews, the high‐anxiety adolescents reported behaviours associated with learned helplessness, use of emotion‐focused defence mechanisms and high, ambiguous and conflicting expectations expressed by their language teachers with regard to academic achievement. The application of anxiety‐reducing methods together with the specialised educational interventions may contribute to the psychological well being of adolescents with dyslexia.

Calibration of Self‐Reports of Anxiety and Physiological Measures of Anxiety While Reading in Adults With and Without Reading Disability

“…The STPI is designed to measure both A-State and A-Trait. In order to focus on reading and academic achievement the instructions for the A-State scale were adjusted (see Sagi-Nakav & Shany, 2011;Tsovili, 2004). The participant's response to the state items measures their feelings at such time by asking each participant to rate on a four-point scale from 1 (not at all) to 4 (very much).…”

“…Adults with RD manifest difficulties with fluent and/or accurate word recognition and poor spelling and decoding performance (Lyon, Shaywitz, & Shaywitz, 2003). Some studies have found that individuals with RD are more likely to experience stress, worry and anxiety when placed in a situation demanding literacy ability (Carroll & Iles, 2006;Maughan & Carroll, 2006;Tsovili, 2004) and tend to read only when they have to (Stanovich, 1986). Anxiety caused by reading can influence other performances.…”

“…This questionnaire was designed to measure achievement anxiety. In order to focus on reading and academic achievement the instructions for the A-State scale were adjusted (see Sagi-Nakav & Shany, 2011;Tsovili, 2004). The participants were instructed to respond in terms of how they feel about their academic achievement and reading at the moment.…”

“…In the presence of a threat that elicits anxiety, the BIS can reduce reaction time. Thus, in the case of reading, which may be perceived as a threat to individual with RD (Tsovili, 2004), the BIS might respond and reduce reading response time. Our findings support the hypothesis that RD inhibits their response so they could avoid the threatening stimuli (Fowles, Kochanska, & Murray, 2000).…”

“…Reading does not only generate strong negative emotions in some struggling readers, it may also be related to anxiety. Some students with RD who experienced high reading anxiety describe reading as 'threatening' and 'stressful' (Tsovili, 2004).…”