THE IMPACT OF STRESSFUL SITUATIONS ON THE COGNITIVE AND EMOTIONAL ASPECTS OF CHILDREN’S LEARNING PROCESSES

Introduction

The learning process in children is a complex interplay of cognitive, emotional, and social factors that shape their academic success and overall development. Among the various influences, stressful situations have increasingly been recognized as a critical factor that negatively impacts children’s ability to learn effectively. Stress in educational settings can arise from multiple sources, including academic pressure, social interactions, and environmental challenges, all of which may disrupt attention, memory, and emotional regulation (Smith & Lazarus, 1990; Lazarus, 2006). Recent psychological research highlights that chronic or acute stress can impair cognitive functions essential for learning, such as problem-solving and information processing, and can lead to emotional difficulties like anxiety and decreased motivation (McEwen, 2007; Lupien et al., 2009). Furthermore, stress not only affects academic performance but also the social-emotional well-being of children, which is integral to their development as well-rounded individuals (Compas et al., 2017). Given the increasing prevalence of stress-related issues among school-aged children, understanding the mechanisms by which stress influences learning is vital for educators, psychologists, and policymakers. This study aims to analyze the impact of stressful situations on the cognitive and emotional aspects of learning processes in children and to explore effective coping strategies and pedagogical interventions that can mitigate these adverse effects in educational environments.

Main part. Stressful situations constitute a significant area of concern within developmental and educational psychology, particularly regarding their detrimental effects on children’s learning processes. In the context of Moldova and Romania, a growing body of empirical research conducted by prominent psychologists such as Popescu and Ionescu [2018] has highlighted the multifaceted ways in which stress compromises key cognitive functions. Specifically, stress exerts a disruptive influence on attentional capacities, working memory, and executive functions — cognitive domains that are foundational for effective academic engagement and achievement. The attentional system, responsible for selectively focusing on relevant stimuli while filtering out distractions, is particularly vulnerable to the effects of both acute and chronic stress. Popescu and Ionescu [2018] report that stress-related impairments in attention lead to difficulties in maintaining sustained concentration during learning tasks, thereby reducing the efficiency of information encoding. Furthermore, stress negatively affects the processes of memory consolidation and retrieval, resulting in diminished retention of new knowledge. This impairment in memory systems, coupled with compromised executive functions — including planning, cognitive flexibility, and inhibitory control — substantially hinders children’s ability to engage in complex problem-solving and adaptive learning behaviors. Longitudinal studies reviewed by these researchers suggest that prolonged exposure to stressful environments during critical developmental periods may not only slow intellectual growth but also contribute to cumulative deficits in academic performance. These findings underscore the importance of early identification and intervention to mitigate stress effects and support cognitive resilience. The intricate interplay between physiological stress responses and neurocognitive development forms a crucial foundation for understanding the mechanisms through which stress impedes learning and for designing evidence-based pedagogical strategies aimed at fostering optimal educational outcomes.

Emotionally, stress exerts profound effects on children’s psychological well-being, often manifesting as increased levels of anxiety, reduced intrinsic motivation, and disruptions in social functioning [Marinescu, 2019]. Elevated anxiety resulting from stress can interfere with a child’s capacity to engage fully in classroom activities, leading to avoidance behaviors and decreased participation. Motivation, a key driver of learning and persistence, tends to decline under chronic stress conditions, which undermines students’ willingness to exert effort and pursue academic goals. Moreover, stress-related emotional disturbances frequently impair children’s ability to form and maintain positive social relationships with peers and educators. Social withdrawal and difficulties in peer interactions emerge as common consequences, further exacerbating feelings of isolation and lowering self-esteem. The bidirectional relationship between cognitive deficits and emotional dysregulation creates a reinforcing cycle wherein impaired cognitive processing fuels emotional distress, and vice versa, thereby compounding challenges in academic and social domains. This complex interplay underscores the critical necessity for educational interventions that concurrently address cognitive and emotional dimensions of child development. By integrating psychosocial support with cognitive skill-building within the school context, educators and psychologists can foster resilience, enhance adaptive coping strategies, and promote holistic well-being, ultimately improving both academic outcomes and social integration for children experiencing stress.

          Research conducted by Ciobanu et al. [2020] highlights that various external factors within the educational environment act as potent stressors adversely affecting children’s learning experiences. Among these, excessive academic pressure stands out as a primary source of stress, often stemming from high performance expectations, rigorous curricula, and frequent evaluations. Additionally, peer-related conflicts—such as bullying, social exclusion, and competitive dynamics — further exacerbate stress levels, negatively impacting students’ emotional well-being and their capacity to focus on academic tasks. Furthermore, Ciobanu and colleagues emphasize the detrimental role of unsupportive teaching practices, which may include authoritarian classroom management, lack of individualized attention, and insufficient emotional support. These factors collectively create a classroom atmosphere that hampers the development of a safe and nurturing learning environment. To address these challenges, the researchers advocate for the implementation of pedagogical strategies that simultaneously foster emotional regulation and cognitive skill development. Such approaches include dialogic teaching methods, which encourage open communication and critical thinking through interactive dialogue between students and educators. Stress management techniques, such as mindfulness practices and relaxation exercises, are recommended to equip students with tools to cope effectively with anxiety and pressure. Additionally, promoting positive student-teacher relationships is identified as crucial for building trust and emotional security, thereby enhancing students’ resilience and motivation. Collectively, these strategies contribute to creating a holistic educational framework that not only advances academic competencies but also supports psychological well-being, facilitating better adaptation to the demands of the learning process.           Moreover, the enrichment of vocabulary and the cultivation of clear, expressive speech play a pivotal role as protective factors in mitigating the adverse effects of stress on children’s learning processes [Rusu & Popa, 2021]. A robust and versatile vocabulary not only facilitates more effective communication but also empowers children to articulate their thoughts and emotions with greater precision, thereby enhancing their self-efficacy and confidence within academic settings. Clear and expressive speech enables learners to engage more fully in classroom interactions, reducing frustration and anxiety that often accompany communication difficulties. The development of these linguistic competencies contributes to improved cognitive processing by supporting more nuanced comprehension and expression of complex ideas. Consequently, children with well-developed vocabularies and speech skills are better equipped to navigate challenging learning tasks and social situations, which in turn alleviates stress-induced barriers to academic achievement. Thus, targeted interventions aimed at vocabulary expansion and speech clarity are essential components of educational programs designed to foster resilience and promote overall psychological well-being among students.

          The integration of phonetic, syntactic, and lexical training in language instruction has been shown to foster communicative competence and emotional well-being, essential for coping with stressors in educational contexts. Finally, effective coping mechanisms, such as mindfulness exercises and peer support groups, have been identified as practical interventions to mitigate the negative effects of stress on children’s cognitive and emotional learning domains [Vlad & Dumitrescu, 2017]. Implementing these approaches in schools contributes not only to improved academic performance but also to holistic child development.