There is a long tradition of mental illness research embedded in a theoretical framework
of social representation. The target group is mainly health professionals. In Hungary,
there is no data available on the topic in an educational context, although teachers
may have an important role in detecting symptoms and providing pedagogical opinions.
We interviewed teachers of adolescents (N=31) and parents raising adolescents (N=23)
using a semi-structured interview on the representation of adolescent anxiety. The
transcripts were analyzed with deductive thematic analysis following Braun and Clark
(2006) six-phase approach. Finally, 8 categories and 9 subcategories were identified
(e.g. somatic symptoms, lack of something, self- dissatisfaction, family background).
Importantly, the category of addiction as a consequence appeared only in the teachers'
responses. The subcategory of fear was more strongly emphasized by parents. As a visible
symptom, compulsive behaviour was highly emphasised by teachers while parents mentioned
it only rarely. The difficulty for anxious students to express their opinions was
more prominent in teachers' responses. Adolescents are a vulnerable group for anxiety
disorders. Teachers have an important role to support adolescents in seeking appropriate
help. It was also noticeable that teachers expressed their views in much more detail
on the subject.
