Analysis of anxiety and mental health of schoolchildren in China (on the example of schools in the Autonomous Region of Inner Mongolia)

Abstract

The article focuses on the experience of testing the mental health of school pupils in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region of the People's Republic of China. The ultimate aims of research are to examine and compare the results of anxiety level experienced by pupils, to discover a correlation between an anxiety level of pupils and their personality. The Mental Health Test (MHT) and questionnaire named "Small Five of the Personality of a Teenager" are used as data-collection techniques in this research.  This research was conducted with four hundred and twenty pupils studying from seventh to tenth grades. The data were analyzed descriptively and categorized using the seven scales SPSS 23.0. The results showed that 57.6% of pupils were experiencing severe learning anxiety. On the other hand, students were generally demonstrating a healthy mental and emotional state (40,87±17,68), but the learning anxiety level and physical health state represents above the average results. The highest learning anxiety level was experienced by seventh grade students; nevertheless, high school students showed relatively lower score of a learning anxiety. This case can be explained by the fact that the seventh-grade students has just entered secondary school (in the PRC, children study in primary, middle and high schools) and are currently facing the difficulties of adapting to the new environment and establishing a new interpersonal relationship.  A positive correlation was found between schoolchildren’ anxiety level and their emotional indicators as neuroticism or emotional instability. Meanwhile, learning anxiety and extraversion indicators demonstrated a negative correlation (p<0.01). Suggestions for school psychologists and teachers on the prevention of anxiety in children are proposed.

Keywords: school pupils, learning anxiety level, mental health, China, school psychologist.