The Correlation Among Family Relationship, Anxiety and Fears of School-Age Children Studying in Inclusive Education, Nan Primary Education Service Area Office 1

Abstract

This is a cross-sectional descriptive study with the objective to examine the level and nature of anxiety, fears, family relationship, and factors related to anxiety and fears, as well as the correlation between family relationship, anxiety, and fears among school-age children with typical development and those with special needs in inclusive education at Nan Primary Educational Service Area Office 1. Data were collected from 429 school-age children between the ages of 9-12 years and their primary caregivers. The research utilized four instruments: a basic socio-demographic data collection form, the Family Attachment Changeability Index 8 (FACI8) questionnaire in Thai, the Thai State-Trait Anxiety Inventory for Children-Revised (STAIC-R) questionnaire, and the Fear Survey Schedule for Children and Adolescents-II (FSSC-II) in Thai. The results showed that the majority of the sample experienced a low level of state anxiety (A State), with 62.6% reporting this. A high level of trait anxiety (A Trait) was found in 53.4%. The highest fear scores were related to fear of death and danger (Mean = 3.75, S.D. = 0.79). 62.9% of the sample group had midrange family type. Statistically significant factors related to state anxiety (A State) at the .05 level included age and monthly household income. Factors significantly related to trait anxiety (A Trait) at the .05 level included gender and living with both father and mother. Higher levels of fear were associated with not living with father and mother, younger age, female gender, and a monthly household income of less than 10,000 Baht. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that family relationship scores had a significant negative correlation with state anxiety scores (A State) at the .01 level (r = -.27, p < .001). Family relationship scores also had a significant negative correlation with trait anxiety scores (A Trait) at the .01 level (r = -.26, p < .001). However, no significant correlation was found between family relationship scores and fear scores at the .05 level. In conclusion, the fundamental and psychosocial factors are related to the anxiety and fears of school-age children. Understanding these factors can guide the development of programs aimed at promoting individual wellness in the future.