Vol. 2, Issue 1, Part A (2025)

Background: Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental health conditions in childhood, frequently emerging during early school years. Despite their prevalence, these disorders often remain undetected, leading to significant academic, emotional, and social consequences. School nurses are uniquely positioned to identify early signs of anxiety through daily interactions with students, yet structured screening practices are not consistently implemented. Objective: This study aimed to assess the role of school nurses in the early identification of anxiety disorders in school-age children and to evaluate the impact of structured training and standardized screening tools on their detection capabilities. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted in primary schools involving 300 children aged 6-12 years and 30 school nurses. Standardized anxiety screening tools, including the Spence Children’s Anxiety Scale (SCAS), were utilized before and after a nurse training intervention. Descriptive statistics, Chi-square tests, logistic regression, and diagnostic performance measures were applied to analyze anxiety prevalence, severity, and detection accuracy. Results: The prevalence of anxiety disorders in the sample was within the expected global range, with the majority presenting mild to moderate symptoms. Following structured training, nurse screening sensitivity increased from 45% to 72%, while specificity remained high at 88%. Nurse-led screening showed significant improvement in early identification rates without compromising accuracy. Female gender, higher grade level, and prior mental health history were significant predictors of anxiety symptoms. Conclusion: Empowering school nurses with standardized screening protocols and targeted training substantially enhances early identification of anxiety disorders among school-age children. Integrating structured mental health screening into school health services represents a cost-effective, scalable strategy for promoting early intervention and preventing chronic mental health issues. Strengthening referral pathways, continuous nurse education, and school-healthcare collaboration can further optimize outcomes and contribute to long-term student well-being and academic success.