Research Symposium

BIO

Kendall Leach is a senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with a secondary major of Human Development and Family Sciences at Florida State University. Originally from Suwanee, GA, Kendall has developed strong interests in child development and mental health advocacy. She has gained valuable experience through coursework and involvement in the NatPAT Research Lab where she has worked under the mentorship of Madison Poisall and Dr. Callie Little. Kendall is particularly interested in exploring the connections between childhood anxiety and accommodation plans and she hopes to contribute to meaningful change in these areas. After graduation, Kendall plans to attend the University of Texas at Austin to earn her Master's degree in Social Work, with the goal of becoming a licensed clinical social worker and supporting vulnerable populations.

Understanding Anxiety in Students with 504/IEP Plans

Abstract

Previous research using data from the National Project on Achievement in Twins demonstrated that students with 504/IEP accommodation plans report significantly higher levels of general and reading anxiety compared to students without accommodations. However, it remains unclear whether these differences are from executive functioning difficulties, stress, school environment or from accommodation status itself. The present study will extend prior findings by examining executive functioning, perceived stress, resilience, additional impairment status, and school social environment in relation to anxiety.
Using data from 1,140 twin participants, including 222 students with accommodation plans, hierarchical regression analyses will be conducted to determine whether executive functioning deficits, stress, and school social environment predict anxiety after controlling for family stressors, psychological distress, and additional impairments(e.g., ADHD, ASD, etc.). Moderation analyses will then test whether resilience buffers the relationship between each of the aforementioned variables and anxiety.
We hypothesize that students with accommodation plans will demonstrate greater executive functioning difficulties and stress compared to peers without accommodations. Furthermore, we expect resilience and positive school social environments to reduce the association between executive dysfunction and anxiety.
By identifying risk and protective factors, this study will provide a functional evaluation of accommodation status without making causal claims. Findings may inform school-based interventions aimed at strengthening executive functioning supports and resilience-building strategies.

Keywords: Childhood Anxiety, Accommodation Plans, Executive Functioning, and Resilience