{"id":17110,"date":"2024-01-22T11:05:46","date_gmt":"2024-01-22T16:05:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/boscoville1stg.wpenginepowered.com\/en\/boscoville-services\/our-programs\/pastel-reducing-performance-anxiety-in-high-school-students\/"},"modified":"2026-03-11T19:19:10","modified_gmt":"2026-03-11T23:19:10","slug":"pastel-reducing-performance-anxiety","status":"publish","type":"deployment-program","link":"https:\/\/www.boscoville.ca\/en\/boscoville-services\/our-programs\/pastel-reducing-performance-anxiety\/","title":{"rendered":"Pastel : Reducing performance anxiety in high school students"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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Based On <\/p>\n

The Pastel program is based on the cognitive behavioural<\/strong> approach <\/span>and was developed in collaboration with the Universit\u00e9 de Montr\u00e9al<\/span><\/span><\/a> and <\/span><\/span>Boscoville<\/span><\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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The Foundations of the Pastel Program<\/h2><\/div>
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Research shows the importance of intervening with youth to equip them to manage their school performance anxiety<\/strong> (Von der Embse et al., 2013<\/em>). Consequently, Pastel workshops were structured to meet this need.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program was developed to be simple, brief and effective, while relying on various scientifically validated strategies derived from the cognitive-behavioural approach, combined with study and organizational strategies aimed at reducing school performance anxiety<\/strong> in young people.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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Objectives of the Pastel<\/strong> Program<\/h2><\/div>
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The Pastel program is designed to respond to requests from school environments wishing to support their students with high levels of school performance anxiety<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Consequently, the program is intended to be a turnkey tool for social care professionals to help reduce performance anxiety<\/strong> in high school students.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With a clear structure and simple strategies, Pastel participants can adequately integrate the techniques they learn into their daily lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In concrete terms, the Pastel program helps:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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  • Reduce psychological difficulties associated with performance anxiety symptoms <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Improve school performance <\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Reduce the need for intensive, individualized follow-up <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

    School Performance Anxiety<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>
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    School performance anxiety can be defined as a condition characterized by: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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    • Physiological reactions and feelings of tension <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Unhelpful thoughts related to the anticipation of possible failure and its consequences <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Cognitive obstructions <\/li>\n\n\n\n
    • Off-task, avoidance or security behaviours <\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

      All of these, in the context of an evaluation situation (Fergus et al., 2020; Putwain et al., 2021; Spielberger, 1972<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Although not a DSM-5-TR disorder (American Psychiatric Association [APA], 2022<\/em>), some of its manifestations, such as anxiety about performing in front of others, could be related to social anxiety disorder, particularly the performance type (B\u00f6gels et al., 2010<\/em>).

      In addition, school performance anxiety<\/strong> is associated with other difficulties such as anxiety or depressive symptoms, a tendency to have poorer academic performance and lower achievement (Yale-Souli\u00e8re et al., submitted<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In Qu\u00e9bec, around 20% of high school students have high levels of performance anxiety<\/strong>, representing 6 students per class of 30 (Yale-Souli\u00e8re et al.<\/em>).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      Generally, the prevalence among female-identifying youth is estimated to be twice that of male-identifying youth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

      In addition, young people who identify differently are over-represented, with a prevalence of school performance anxiety <\/strong>of 57% (Yale-Souli\u00e8re et al. in preparation<\/em>).<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

      Pastel<\/strong>, A Simple, Brief and Effective Intervention<\/strong><\/h2><\/div>
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      The Pastel program reduces short-term school performance anxiety<\/strong> in students and minimizes the effects on young Pastel participants.

      When properly implemented, the Pastel program has a positive impact on symptoms of social anxiety and depression in young people for up to six months.

      Young people also report benefits in school performance, such as improved organizational and study skills.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/section>\n\n\n\n

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      What You Get with The Pastel Program <\/h2>\n\n\n
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      Training<\/p>\n

      Implementing the Pastel program requires 10.5 hours of training for the social care professionals who will run it.<\/p>\n

      This training helps them familiarize themselves with the cognitive-behavioural approach and learn organizational and study strategies. Moreover, they discover how to implement the program successfully in their environments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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      Support <\/p>\n

      Following the training, Boscoville supports you in the implementation of the Pastel program through a planning meeting, which enables you to foresee the overall implementation of the program, and an awareness-raising meeting, which aims to inform the school team of the arrival of the program in the community.<\/p>\n

      To ensure the program’s sustainability in the community, Boscoville organizes a follow-up meeting during the workshop period, as well as an assessment meeting at the end of the implementation phase.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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      Workshops<\/p>\n

      The Pastel program consists of 6 workshops for young people and 2 workshops for parents, each accompanied by practical exercises. These workshops are designed to help participants put into practice the strategies they were taught, both individually and in groups.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n\n\n

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      Turnkey Tools <\/p>\n

      The Pastel program kit is a turnkey tool containing all the material needed to implement the program, including the following documents:<\/p>\n

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      • Implementation guide<\/li>\n
      • Animation guide for youth workshops<\/li>\n
      • YOUTH workbook<\/li>\n
      • Animation guide for youth workshops<\/li>\n
      • PARENT workbook<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n <\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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        \n Next steps\n <\/h2>\n

        \nWould you like to get more information or learn more about Pastel program<\/strong> ?\n <\/p>\n\n