Understanding the Stages of Anxiety
The stages of anxiety may also be represented on a curve (see Emotional Regulation). If early signs are recognised, by either teachers, parents, or the child themselves, it is possible to prevent the child’s anxiety from becoming severe and resulting in an explosion.
The anxiety curve, developed by Buron and Curtis, is a method of displaying a child’s increasing and decreasing anxiety on a curve. Escalating anxiety is displayed in five stages, similar to the Incredible 5-Point Scale.
- Stage ‘1’: a stage of calm where the child can be taught to use skills such as a calming sequence or visualisation.
- Stage ‘2’: the child may be showing some early signs of anxiety, such as looking worried or asking many questions.
- During stages ‘3’ and ‘4’: the child has become anxious and the caregiver may use strategies such as leaving the anxiety-producing event or modelling calming strategies.
- Stage ‘5’: represents the most heightened state of anxiety. At this stage, it is too late for the caregiver to intervene and it may be best just to use silence and keep the child safe.
The descending part of the curve displays the child’s calming down process and can include strategies that the caregiver may use to help the child calm at each stage until they are able to return to their usual daily routine.
The anxiety curve can help caregivers to understand and recognise escalating anxiety in the child and ways in which they can help reduce this anxiety. The curve can also help children understand their own anxiety and reasons for their behaviour.
An anxiety curve for caregivers is also included, to show that as the child’s anxiety increases, so does the caregiver’s anxiety and stress. Caregivers need to have strategies in place to help control their own anxiety so that they are more able to help the child.
For an additional example on how to use an anxiety curve, see chart below:

For information on Wellbeing and Carer Burnout: click here.
Kari Dunn Buron discusses The Incredible 5 Point Scale
Kari Dunn Buron provides and overview of the anxiety curve
Kari Dunn Buron discusses how teachers can reduce their own stress and child’s stress showing compassion
To read more about the anxiety curve, please click here.
The curve helps to visualise the anxiety process and show that any ‘difficult’ behaviours are likely a manifestation of the child’s anxiety. Kari Dunn Buron talks about the importance of understanding the underlying reason for behaviours rather than automatically taking a negative view of behaviours that challenge.
Read previous: ← Recognising Signs of Anxiety
Read next: Identifying Situations Which May Lead to Anxiety →