Anxiety in the School Context: Relationships with the Learning Process in the Early Years of Elementary Education

Abstract

This article explores mental health in relation to learning processes during the early years of elementary education. The research is justified by the need to understand how anxiety affects students in the early years of elementary school with regard to their learning. The general objective is to analyze, based on scientific literature, the potential relationships between anxiety in the school environment and the learning process of children in the early years of elementary education. Specific objectives include: understanding the primary characteristics of childhood anxiety and its manifestations within the school setting; discussing the potential links between anxiety, attention, participation in school activities, and the learning process; and identifying, through scientific literature, school-related situations (such as assessments, academic demands, adjustment to routines, and interpersonal relationships) that may be associated with childhood anxiety. The theoretical framework for this research is grounded in studies that examine childhood anxiety, its manifestations in the school context, and its potential connections to the learning process, with particular emphasis on the contributions of Costa and Boruchovitch (2004), Souza (2020), Amaral (2022), and Sampaio (2025). This study employs a qualitative approach, utilizing a literature review as its methodological procedure. In terms of its objectives, the study is exploratory in nature, as it seeks to broaden the understanding of how childhood anxiety manifests in the school environment, specifically in relation to assessments, academic demands, adjustment to routines, and interpersonal relationships.