Students’ coping with Stress at high school level particularly at 11 th & 12th grade

Stress and coping with stress are phenomena closely intertwined with human life. They relate to all minor and major
events in life. Even in our day to day life, stress is the topic of many conversations, people talk about the stress of
balancing home and work life, the stress of being hard pressed for time, of living in a mechanical society, dealing
with a crying child, getting through traffic jam, etc. We also come across people who seek to reduce this stress by
going to yoga therapies, faraway beaches and meditation sessions or with use of alcohol, drugs, etc.[Lazarus et al
,1987] Though many people talk about stress in general terms, it is hard to define the term „stress‟ in a scientific
manner. In fact, the phenomenon of stress and the process of coping is a focal point in various disciplines, such as
Medicine, Psychology, Management, Sociology and Anthropology. Stress and the methods of coping with it are
covered in all branches of psychology, including Health, Psychology, Environmental Psychology, Developmental
Psychology, Neuro-Psychology, Organizational Behavior, Clinical Psychology etc.

Stress is the reaction of one’s body and mind to something that causes a change in the balance. Stress is a common
aspect of many different emotions like anxiety, frustration, anger, worry, fear, sadness and despair. A very clear
physical aspect is also involved in it. Some may experience such as a pain in the chest or in the pit of the stomach or
in the form of clenching their jaws. [MyersDG, 2005] Every individual experiences stress occasionally. Students in
general experience stress in situations such as going to a new college, appearing for the exams, dealing with their
friends/peers, when their friends were not feeling well, divorce or separation of parents, death of a relative, etc. In
the academic scenario, stress has become an inevitable factor in the lives of students and everyone related to them.
Parents of adolescents have to face the stress of helping their children deal with academic stress as well as their own
stress.

Different Forms of Stress: Stress can be of two forms: positive stress (Eustress) and negative stress (Distress).
Eustress is the feeling of relief. Distress is an emotion that leads towards disease. This type of distress is generally
caused by an event in one’s life, for example, failure in exams, divorce, notification of debt, tax, and etc. Eustress is
a positive stress set off by a positive event in one’s life. Its examples may include winning a championship, planning
or attending a wedding, wining a lottery, or receiving an unexpectedly good result in an exam. Eustress allows
individuals to engage in the challenges of life.

Cause of stress: Causes of stress are known as stressors. Being physical or emotional, internally or externally
generated, the stressors are classified as: A) Exogenous or external factors: they are those factors which originate
from outside and individual has no control over that. For example, the death of loved ones, etc. B) Endogenous or
internal factors include strong memories of previous unpleasant experiences, which make individuals highly sensitive
to such instances. They anticipate the same unpleasant events, and their fear gives rise to feelings of inferiority,
inadequacy and uncertainty. C) The combination of endogenous and exogenous factors also leads to the creation of
stress. [Holahan & Moos, 2000] D) System induced stress is another type of stress identified by psychologists; System
refers to organizations like school, family, office and other such social structures, in which an individual functions.
Life becomes tough if any of these structures are stress inducing. [Holahan, Charles, 1982] This type of stress is highly
relevant to under-developing societies in the context of changing demands in the family and workplace. One group
of society which is a victim of system induced stress is the student community. The natural instincts of children to
be playful and fun loving come in severe conflict with the pressure imposed by the academic overload and
expectations. The academic overload in school and unrealistic parental demand and social expectations are imposing
severe stress on students especially among adolescent students Most of the high school students in Iran concentrate
only on academics and do not give much importance to other activities. Even the parents are convinced that these
are the crucial years where the children need to concentrate only on academics in order to perform well in the
marathon race of entrance examinations at the end of senior intermediate. Thus, the students are left with no choice
except participating in this race, especially those students who opt for science and mathematics branches at high
school levels. Other branches such as art, commerce and literature are considered to be low grade by the staff,
students, parents as well as the managements of academic institutions.

Coping style and Strategies: The word “coping” has two connotations in stress literature. It has been used to denote
the way of dealing with stress or effort to master conditions of harm, threat, or challenge when a routine or
automatic response is not readily available.[Park and Adler,2003] Coping refers to mastering conditions that tax or
exceed adaptive resources. [Lazarus, Arnold, 1997]Lazarus emphasized the key role of cognitive process in coping
activities and the importance of coping in determination of quality and intensity of emotional reactions to stress.
According to him we are constantly self-regulating our emotional reaction in various ways. We either postpone
unpleasant situation, or change the threatening conditions or simply detach ourselves from unpleasant situations.
Therefore, Lazarus emphasizes that the individual actively considers the situation and the unforeseen environmental
conditions which manipulate the individual’s behavior. [Lazarus, 1977] Coping strategy refers to a technique of
coping adopted in a specific context. Over a period of time the individual develops a specific coping style. This refers
to the manner in which an individual responds to any stressful event.
Classification of Coping Strategies: According to Moos and Billings (1982), there are many ways to classify the coping
process but the three main categories are: 1) Appraisal focused coping strategies occur when the person modifies
the way they think. 2) Problem focused strategies are efforts to do something active to ease the stressful
circumstances. People, who use problem focused strategies, try to deal with the cause of the problem. They do this
by finding information on the problem, learning new skills to manage the problem and rearrange their lives. 3)
Emotion focused strategies involve realizing pent-up emotions, distracting one-self, managing hostile feelings,
meditating, using systematic relaxation procedures, etc. This involves efforts to regulate the emotional
consequences of stressful or potentially stressful events. In addition to above categories, in a qualitative perspective,
there are two types of coping strategies: a) Active coping strategies: an individual can cope with taxing circumstances
by directly approaching the cause of the conflict. b) Avoidant coping strategies: an individual copes with taxing
circumstances by avoiding it. This strategy makes people activate a mental state that keeps them from directly
addressing the event. This appears to be a psychological risk factor or marker for adverse response to stressful line
events. [Holahan and Moos, 1987]

Need of the study: Secondary Education is an important stage of education from individual as well as social point of
view. From the individual point of view this is the stage that determines or leads to the future planning of an
individual‟s life. It is the turning point where every individual has to make his career and life choices. It is also within
the adolescent stage which is regarded as one of the most crucial stages of life. If the student intends to continue
his education beyond this stage, and find a suitable vocation or occupation, then this stage provides him with the
needed academic background. Therefore, from the individual‟s point of view, this is a crucial stage. From the social
point of view, the next generation youngsters are needed to build the nation and participate in its growing economy.
Software and other developing sectors need sufficient trained manpower. For that learning at the intermediate stage
form the basis. Secondary education plays an important role in training the youth of the country to take part in the
social reconstruction and economic development. It is secondary education on which the social, economic, cultural
and technical efficiency of nation depends, since this stage marks the final stage of education for so many students.
Secondary schools supply students for universities and other centers of higher learning. Hence they should be of the
highest quality.[Education & Development Report] At this stage there is an increase in the number of students
suffering from “masked depression” across the country apart from increased number of cases of students taking
their own lives or suffering from nervous breakdown. Recognizing the alarming situations caused by exam stress and
academic stress which are the most relevant topic of study in the present system of education. The student
communities at the pre-university level in particular are more stressed, as this age corresponds with the end of the
adolescence stage. The most important thing about adolescence is that it is the period of human life when rapid
changes occur. Terms like “period of storm and stress, stormy period, terrible teens, period of transition from
immaturity to maturity etc,” are used to describe this stage. This is mainly because during adolescence, individuals
undergo many changes, physical, mental, emotional, social changes and it is essential to channelize these changes
in proper way in order to become mature adults in the future. [Holahan & Moos,2000] During this period, the
adolescent has to face adjustment problems with one‟s own self, family and society. He is exposed to a new social
structure as he enters into the arena of college from school. This is so sensitive and even slight variation in
adjustment influences one‟s personality to great extent. Therefore an enquiry in to the reason for this is needed.
We need to find out how the students at this level cope with stress? Why are they not able to adapt to the system
and achieve the goals set for them? What are the reasons for students‟ inability to cope with the academic anxiety
at this stage of adolescence? Psychologists‟ general observations indicate that high achievers have greater stress
and difficulties in coping as these students suffer from fear of losing their rank and facing the disapproval of parents
and society at large. Therefore it is important to know whether high achievers face greater stress and difficulty in
coping compared to average students or low achievers. The change that the students experience from school system
to the college system and the sudden autonomy they are given that may also become a cause of stress. In
educational system, the average school student is under the control of class teacher and the school administration.
The class teacher provides direction in all activities and takes care of overall performance. When the students
entered in to the colleges they are not closely monitored any more so they may feel stress during the initial days as
they lack direction. Students take time to inculcate the sense of autonomy and self-directed behavior. Since this
transitional phase is normally stressful, there is need to enquire into the coping techniques adopted by students at
this stage. Considering what is stated so far, there is a need to enquire how the student community is affected by
this type of rank-induced stress. Cut-throat competition exists among the corporate college owners who set high
demands on faculty, and in turn the faculty put pressure on the students to continuously achieve good marks. All
these result in a kind of stress chain. Therefore there is a need to find out how far students are able to cope with the
stress- chain. There is also a need to enquire in to whether the demand for continuous high performance leads to
distress or Eustress.
Examining perceptions of academic stress and its sources among university students: The Perception of Academic
Stress Scale

Stress among undergraduate and graduate students is multifactorial, arising from both academic and non-academic
factors, including socio-cultural, environmental, and psychological attributes (Brand and Schoonheim-Klein, 2009).
Stress levels may escalate to significant proportions in some students, to present with symptoms of anxiety
especially during tests and examination periods. In fact, previous research suggested a modest prevalence rate of
10 to 35 percent of college student’s experience functionally impairing levels of test anxiety (Chapell et al., 2005;
Naveh-Benjamin et al., 1997). However, not all students experience anxiety with the same severity. In the Social
Survey of the German Student Union, it was estimated that approximately 15–20 percent of student’s functioning
become impaired by exam nerves in a “modest” to “high” degree (Neuderth et al., 2009). Also, it was demonstrated
that the delay and the drop-out in university students occur significantly more often in students with test anxiety
and is associated with psychiatric morbidity including suicidal behavior and high economic costs (Schaefer et al.,
2007). Also, it was demonstrated that 10 percent of dental students suffered from severe emotional exhaustion,
17 percent complained about a severe lack of accomplishment, and 28 percent reported severe depersonalization
symptoms (Pohlmann et al., 2005). Academic factors were the predominant cause of stress in most students,
followed by physical, social, and emotional. Majority of students with stress reported high scores of poor self-
esteem, and about half scored high on depression scales (Baste and Gadkari, 2014). Results from the literature
suggest that higher level of stress to be associated with poor academic performance (Sohail, 2013).

Perceived stress was reported in some research, to vary among different sociodemographic groups (Acharya, 2003;
Pau et al., 2007; Polychronopoulou and Divaris, 2005). For example, it was found that females, younger students,
those without a previous higher education qualification, and those not satisfied with their decision to study dentistry
were significantly more likely to report perceived stress levels when compared to their counterparts (Morse and
Dravo, 2007; Pau et al., 2007). However, in other studies, men showed more stress (62.9%) than women. However,
females perceived more stress in the interpersonal domain score more significantly than males (Saxena et al., 2014;
Tangade et al., 2011). In a recent study, it was demonstrated that the most common sources of stress among medical
students (n = 161) were related to both academic and psychosocial pressures. These included high parental
expectations, frequency of examinations, vastness of the academic curriculum, sleeping difficulties, worrying about
the future, and about becoming a doctor. From reviewing the literature, stress among dental and medical students
in different cultures is well documented and was associated with significant psychiatric morbidity in the literature
(Al-Omari, 2005; Naidu et al., 2002; Pohlmann et al., 2005; Rajab, 2001; Shah et al., 2010; Tuisuva and Morse, 2003).
For example, it was demonstrated recently that more than half of the respondents were affected by depression, and
over two-thirds by anxiety and stress, and females consistently reported higher score of stress as compared to their
male counterparts (Iqbal et al., 2015; Kumar et al., 2014).

In a number of studies, authors found that the most frequently reported factors contributing to stress and anxiety
around the examination periods were extensive course loads, lack of physical exercise, and long duration of exams,
reported by the students (Harikiran et al., 2012; Hashmat et al., 2008; Sansgiry and Sail, 2006; Shah et al., 2010). The
perception of extensive course load and long duration of examinations were found to be the most important sources
of test anxiety in a number of research studies. For example, in a cross-sectional study, Hashmat et al. (2008)
examined factors contributing to exam anxiety among the final medical students (n = 120), using structured self-
administered questionnaire including questions about lifestyle, study style, psychological problems, and
examination system. Authors found that the most frequently reported factors by the students, contributing to exam
anxiety, were extensive course loads (90.8%), lack of physical exercise (90%), and long duration of exams (77.5%).
Authors also reported that most students had poor knowledge of exam-taking and anxiety-reduction (Hashmat et
al., 2008). Medical students’ performance in periodic examinations was the most frequently and severely occurring
sources of stress (Shah et al., 2010).

It was demonstrated in both laboratory and in self-report questionnaires that students report and experience higher
levels of anxiety from the objective structured clinical examination (OSCE) than from the written examinations
(Furlong et al., 2005). Also, Omigbodun et al. (2006) and Polychronopoulou and Divaris (2005) found that excessive
school work, congested classrooms, strikes by faculty, and lack of laboratory equipment were identified as a source
of stress. The fear of course failure, uncertainty about future, clinical training difficulties, and work overload were
among the perceived sources of stress among dental students (Acharya, 2003; Polychronopoulou and Divaris, 2005).
In a recent study, it was reported that 16.2 percent of the variance accounted for the excessive cognitive, somatic,
and emotional responses on the Examination Anxiety Scale scores (Bedewy and Gabriel, 2013). Based on a self-
administered survey, it was demonstrated that test anxiety among pharmacology students (n = 198) was positively
correlated with students’ perceptions of course load and negatively related to their ability to manage time with
course work (Sansgiry and Sail, 2006).
Morse and Dravo (2007) utilized a modified version of the Dental Environment Stress questionnaire (41 items) to
assess levels of stress among undergraduate students (n = 115). Authors reported that there was slight to moderate
stress. However, sources of stress were more prominent among female students and with the following items: full
loaded day, followed by criticism from clinical supervisors in front of patients, amount of assigned work, fear of
failing a course or year, examination and grades, financial resources, fear of employment after graduation, and fear
of facing parents after failure (Morse and Dravo, 2007).

Factors related to academic expectations and pressures to perform

It was demonstrated in a number of studies that parental pressures and teachers’ expectations were associated with
stress around the time of examinations or about choosing particular academic study or a future career. For example,
students who joined dentistry due to parental pressure, with associated fear of facing parents after failure, described
greater stress than those who joined of their accord (Acharya, 2003; Tangade et al., 2011). Authors recommended
that parents need to be counseled against forcing their children to join an educational program, not of their choice
(Tangade et al., 2011). Also, receiving criticism from supervisors about academic or clinical work was one of the
sources associated with significant stress among dental students (Kumar et al., 2009). Other authors suggested that
parental pressure predicted a higher degree of test anxiety, as the threat of negative evaluation from others is
increased. Conversely, it was theorized that parental support would predict a lower degree of stress and test anxiety,
as the threat of negative evaluation is reduced (Putwain et al., 2010). Also, a higher than expected levels of emotional
exhaustion were found in a large sample of first-year undergraduate students, and among entry-level students
dental students in seven European dental schools (Polychronopoulou and Divaris, 2005), and recently, Tangade et
al. (2011) found that final year students presented with higher stress scores. Using a descriptive cross-sectional
design, Wang and Yeh (2005) examined the perceptions and sources of entrance exam stress among third-year
nursing students (n = 441) and its effect on coping behavior. Authors concluded that the five main stressors of
entrance exam stress, in descending order, included taking tests, the student’s own aspirations, learning tasks,
teacher’s aspirations, and parent’s aspirations (Wang and Yeh, 2005).

Factors related to students’ academic self-perceptions

Other sources which are commonly related to students’ academic self-perceptions involve such scores especially
those related to their personality characteristics, intelligence, their past academic achievements, and other
academic environmental and psychosocial sources.

Hancock (2001) and Hembree (1988) reported that negative cognitions related to examinations, when such students
underestimate their own abilities, or overestimation of the consequences related to their failure, are often
accompanied by higher anxiety levels and poor performance. It was demonstrated that in a number of studies,
among dental and medical students, stress was high enough to present with psychiatric disorders in substantial
proportions of students. The experience of severe stress and anxiety among dental school students is well
documented. Students often report stress-related symptoms that may range from mild anxiety to sleep and eating
disorders, as well as resulting in reduced performance, inability to concentrate, hostility, depression, and other
debilitating effects (Stewart et al., 2006; Westerman et al., 1993). In a cross-sectional survey examining the level of
perceived academic stress among medical, dental, psychology, and sports students, it was demonstrated that sports
and psychology students had a lower perceived stress risk compared with medicine students (Neveu et al., 2012).

The relationship between personality traits and stress and anxiety related to taking examinations was also examined
in a number of studies. For example, Liu et al. (2006) argued that test anxiety should be related to the personality
and self-esteem, and that the prevalence of test anxiety should be higher in introversive, unstable emotional,
apparent psychoticism or low self-esteem students. Xu et al. (2005) examined the effects of self-concept on the test
anxiety among medical college students, using the test anxiety questionnaire and the English-learning self-concept
scale. Authors found that all the dimensions of self-concept were significantly related to test anxiety, among which
are the general self-concept and the academic self-concept. Others claimed that perceived academic competence
was related to worry and tension (Putwain et al., 2010).
Impact of social-emotional learning on academic achievement

Those promoting a "whole-child" approach to education contend that we need a holistic perspective that aims to
nurture the full range of skills and capacities that will help children of today become healthy and competent future
adults. But increasing scrutiny of academic achievement gaps among children in the United States, as well as
between children in our country and other developed countries, has created an urgency to promotion of academic
achievement that has left little time for the development of non-academic skills. However, research recently
reported in School Psychology Quarterly suggests there's no real conflict: a randomized, controlled trial of an
evidence-based social and emotional learning (SEL) curriculum (PATHS: Promoting Alternative THinking Strategies)
in grades 3-6 showed that students in schools randomized to receive an enhanced SEL program were more likely
than those in the control group to achieve basic proficiency in reading, writing and math on independently
administered state mastery tests in later grades.

The project involved all students enrolled in regular or bilingual education in an inner-city school system where 2
out of 3 students qualify for a free or reduced price lunch and 9 out of 10 students are African American or
Hispanic/Latino American. The project focused on the impact of advancing academic proficiency at the lowest level
(i.e., below basic proficiency) given that the curriculum has demonstrated positive impact on behavior and emotion
for students most at-risk, as well as the belief that these students might be most vulnerable to the negative impacts
of suboptimal social and emotional skills, classroom and school climate, and school engagement. Furthermore, this
group of students contributes most to the achievement gap that has challenged our country's educational system.

Those children randomized to schools where the enhanced SEL curriculum was taught were more likely to achieve
basic proficiency in the three academic areas evaluated by the mastery test. Furthermore, within the schools where
the enhanced SEL curriculum was implemented, researchers saw a "dosage effect;" students whose teachers
reported teaching more of the lessons were more likely to achieve basic proficiency. Positive intervention effects of
the curriculum were found in at least some grade levels for all three academic content areas. Specifically, the
intervention group showed greater basic proficiency in 4th grade reading and math, as well as 5th and 6th grade
writing, compared to the control group, with the analyses for the dosage effects providing additional support for the
intervention effects for reading and math. Although the effect sizes were relatively small, considering that the
curriculum aims to teach social-emotional skills and was implemented to reduce the onset of high-risk behaviors (a
prior paper by the team showed that the program helped reduce early sexual behavior), the fact that there was also
impact on academic test scores is noteworthy. This is one of the first studies to examine the impact of a multiyear
SEL program on academic achievement among young students.

Many schools are actively restricting classroom time devoted to any subjects or activities that do not appear to
directly prepare children for high-stakes testing in reading, writing, and math. Teachers and school administrators
are increasingly finding their job performance linked to the degree to which their students demonstrate achievement
in these subject areas. As a result, many important components of children's education, including SEL, are being
seriously compromised or eliminated entirely. This research provides support that SEL may be a promising approach
to promote basic academic proficiency, especially for those students most at risk.

Benefits of the K-12 curriculum for Filipino students!

A recent change in the Philippines’ educational system was implemented starting in 2011. The K-12 curriculum was
signed into law back in 2013, adding three years to the country’s basic education curriculum.

The new K-12 curriculum guide requires all Filipino students to have one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary
schooling (grades 1 to 6), four years of junior high school (grades 7 to 10), and two years of senior high school (grades
11 to 12).

The Rationale

Prior to the implementation of the K-12 curriculum guide, the Philippines was one of only three countries in the
world and the only one in Asia that still had only 10 years in basic education. This has always been seen as a
disadvantage for our students who are competing in an increasingly global job market. The longer educational cycle
of the K-12 curriculum is seen as critical in giving Filipino students a higher quality of education.

Read: 15 brain-boosting food that kids should eat during exam week

The Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organization – Innotech (SEAMEO-Innotech) found the previous 10-year
educational cycle to be congested, with a 12-year curriculum squished into 10 years. As a result, Filipino students
have trailed behind students around the world in the areas of math, languages, and science. The new curriculum is
aimed to fix that.
The K to 12 curriculum is designed to enable graduates to join the workforce right after high school, and suitably
prepare those who want to go on to higher education. The new curriculum will also support college graduates
seeking work abroad. Developed countries, according to the Department of Education’s (DepEd) briefer, “view the
10-year education cycle as insufficient.” All in all, the enhanced K to 12 curriculum is designed to provide a holistic
education for all. Now decongested, it will give students ample time to master basic academic skills as well as to
participate in co-curricular and community activities.

What the K-12 curriculum means for students

The transition began in 2011, when the universal kindergarten was introduced. Starting in 2012, schools already
implemented the curriculum decongestion mentioned in the DepEd briefer. Public schools began having half-day
classes for grade one students, with the mother tongue as the medium of instruction. Private schools also made
adjustments in their own DepEd accredited curricula. The adaptation of the K to 12 curriculum guide means that
students will graduate a bit older compared to those who graduated under the 10-year education cycle. Far from
being disadvantageous, however, DepEd states that young adults graduating at age 18 or so will be more prepared
to take on their tertiary education. Remedial classes during the first year of college will no longer be needed, as the
high school curriculum will already be aligned with the Commission on Higher Education’s (CHED) guidelines. The
government also encourages parents to think of the K to 12 curriculum guide not as having two extra years of high
school, but as two years less of higher education. Change is never easy. Especially when it is a big undertaking such
as the implementation of the new K-12 curriculum guide in the Philippines. It is high time, however, that improve
the quality of our basic education and our students.

United Way of Northeast Florida is bringing awareness to the challenges students of all ages may face. Mental health
affects how we think about ourselves, the decisions we make and how we interact with others. It is essential to every
individual’s overall well-being throughout their lifetime and especially for the development of children. According
to Arch Gen Psychiatry, over 50 percent of students ages 6-17 do not receive the proper mental health care needed
for optimal psychological success. There are three primary factors that affect the development of mental health: a
family history of mental illness, an individual’s genetic makeup and life experiences, such as trauma and abuse. A
student need only possess one of these factors to develop a mental health illness.

Mental illnesses challenge students to be fully engaged in the classroom and make it difficult for them to meet
academic standards. For instance, a student dealing with a mental-emotional illness may find it difficult to find the
motivation to complete daily classwork, homework or class projects. According to the National Center for Mental
Health Checkups at Columbia University, studies show that these barriers can lead to low test scores, poor
attendance, disruptive behavior and a greater chance of dropping out.

It’s important for parents, teachers and caregivers to recognize the possible signs of mental illness. Here are a few
behaviors that should be monitored according to Everydayhealth.com:

 Decrease in energy

 Frequent confrontations with family and friends

 Thoughts of harming themselves or others

 Emotional imbalance

 Isolation from friends and family

 Loss of interest in previously rewarding or enjoyable activities

United Way and partners understand the connection between non-academic barriers and success in school. Through
our collaborative initiative Full Service Schools we connect nearly 8,000 students and families to a critical range of
therapeutic, health and social services to promote the overall health and well-being of students, their family and
household. Full service schools provide an array of services such as mentoring, after-school tutoring, and
medical/health services.
How the education system is making kids stressed and sick

The pressure on children to achieve high levels of academic success is overriding the joys of education and making
kids anxious and depressed, says author Lucy Clark. So what is going so wrong with education in Australia, and what
can be done to fix it?

For someone who doesn't have a spare 10 hours, what is going wrong with education in Australia?

There is too much focus on academic outcomes and a very narrow view of success with a one-size-fits-all approach
that negates individuality. There is too much testing and too much competition, and too much comparison between
kids. The whole system is geared towards achieving better outcomes rather than getting kids to love learning, and
consequently there is a hierarchy of pressure, with kids right at the bottom. There are a whole lot of structural
problems too but, well, I could write a book!

The General Status of Student Mental Health in Our Schools

Mental health disorders in our K-12 schools affect many of our youth and directly impact classroom learning and
social interactions, both of which are critical to the success of students. Mental disorders among children is a critical
public health issue because of their early onset, frequency, and impact on schools, families, and the community at
large. Much national attention has been given to children’s mental health often through high profile suicides and
school shootings, which has placed a focus on “crisis response” rather than a systematic approach to helping our
nations’ children with their mental health needs. In this first of a three-part series, we will examine the nature and
scope of mental health challenges facing our youth today.

Defining Mental Health

Positive mental health in childhood is characterized by the achievement of development and emotional milestones,
healthy social development, and effective coping skills, such that mentally healthy children have a positive quality
of life and can function well at home, in school, and in their communities (Perou, R., et. al. 2013). On the other hand,
mental health disorders are described as “serious deviations from expected cognitive, social and emotional
development and are described in detail by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5th edition
or the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).

Coping With Stress At School

Our time at school is meant to be a time of self-discovery, education and self-improvement. However, we must also
remember that it can be one of the most stressful periods in a person’s life. If chronic stress is ignored for long
enough, it can eventually lead to mental and physical breakdowns and even depression. The effects of stress only
get worse as time goes on so the most effective interventions are those that begin early. This is most likely to happen
when the underlying causes of stress, as well as the warning signs, are understood properly, both by the students
themselves and by the faculty.

When Is Stress a Problem?

The first thing that needs to be understood is that people do not respond to stress in the same way. Stress is simply
what we feel as the result of how the human body reacts to certain internal or external demands. Each student will
respond differently, even if the demands they face are identical. This means that it would be wrong for any student
or faculty member to simply dismiss the stress caused to a certain student, just because others are not experiencing
the same level of stress.

Faculty and students should also be careful not to dismiss situations where some level of stress is expected. For
example, everyone is stressed during exams, and this can make it a lot easier to miss the warning signs regarding
one particular student. It is easy for an individual’s symptoms to be missed or ignored in such a situation. This is a
time where the faculty should be at its most alert, and ready to offer help and counseling to those students who
might need it.

At the same time, stress is not always a bad thing. Oftentimes, just the right amount of stress will encourage a
student to study more or to try harder. The stress caused by knowing that they need a passing grade on their next
test in order to pass a class, for example, might determine a student to stay up and study the night before when,
normally, they might have gone out with friends. As the University of Georgia (1) defines it, this is something called
positive stress. It adds short-term tension to the body that provides it with an additional burst of adrenaline in order
to overcome a certain challenge.
Even positive stress comes with noticeable effects that can be both mental (anxiety, fear) and physical (headaches,
nausea). However, these effects go away once the challenge is overcome. Students who are experiencing positive
stress are usually able to return to a relaxed state, one where the effects of that stress go away. When the students
are no longer able to ‘bounce back’ like this, they are deemed to be subject to negative stress. As this negative stress
goes on and becomes chronic, it begins to take its toll on the body and cause physical, mental and emotional
problems. As the exhaustion of the HPA axis continues and adrenal fatigue sets in, students will have more and more
difficulty continuing their studies.

Symptoms of Stress

Stress is best dealt with as soon as possible. In order to do this, students need to know the early warning signs that
they or someone they know is being overstressed. There are many symptoms that can be the result of stress, both
physical and mental. Stress and adrenal fatigue bring about the depletion of crucial hormones and neurotransmitters
that control many functions in the body. The University of Dundee (2) outlines the symptoms of student stress very
thoroughly.

Physical symptoms of stress include:

 Fatigue

 A general feeling of sickness

 Headaches

 Constipation

 Diarrhea

 Loss of libido

 Erratic sleeping patterns

 Nervousness

 A desire to weep

 Neck cramps

 Excessive sweating

 Lack of appetite

 Indigestion

 Heartburn

 Unusual food cravings

Mental symptoms of stress include:

 Irritability

 Loss of concentration

 Loss of interest in friends

 Difficulty in making decisions

 Lack of motivation

 Feeling guilty or inadequate

 Feeling helpless or a failure

 A loss of interest in relationships and in activities that you sufferer used to enjoy

Many of these signs may not always become obvious to others until they become really pronounced. By that point,
a lot of damage may already have been done. That is why the best warning signs for stress are generally related to
a person’s behavior. According to a study by Carleton University (3), these are some of the behavioral changes which
might indicate that a person is suffering from stress and might need help:
  Skipping classes more frequently

 A sharp decline in grades

 Consuming more alcohol and drugs than usual

 Becoming more aggressive or more emotional than normal

 Becoming more isolated by choice

 Missing assignments

If a person experiences several of the above symptoms, it is highly likely that they are suffering from stress and need
some help. Leaving this stress unaddressed and untreated for a long period of time can lead to
depression. Depression can also appear if a traumatic experience occurs while the student is also suffering from
stress. This is a very serious issue that may require professional help immediately. Some of the more common
symptoms associated with depression include irrational thinking, excessive weight gain or weight loss, sleeping too
much or too little, expressing feelings of hopelessness, or even suicidal or homicidal thoughts.

Emotional health and wellbeing

When a school promotes positive emotional health and wellbeing pupils can better understand and express their
feelings. This builds their confidence and emotional resilience and therefore their capacity to learn.

"Schools can be confident that a focus on wellbeing and mental health not only enables them to provide healthy and
happy school environments for pupils and staff and prepare the citizens of tomorrow with sound character and
values, but also directly supports their more immediate mission: the promotion of effective learning" Prof Katherine
Weare, Partnership for Wellbeing and Mental Health in Schools.

Wellbeing and resilience make up one of the key priorities for our work. We have prioritized the support we offer
schools around wellbeing and have a range of training, resources, partnership working and signposting in place. See
the links on the left for more information about support.

A very popular training and resource package we developed and deliver is called ReSET - Resilience and Self-Esteem
Toolkit. This includes three programmers: Emotions, Self-Esteem and Whole School Focus. Attendees at workshops
will have the opportunity to explore the resource in detail, think about ways in which they can use it in school, (using
a universal/targeted/one to one approach) and share good practice with colleagues.

We have also developed a training course called Whole School Approach to Good Mental Health. Schools have told
us they are experiencing a need for support around promoting children and young people's positive mental health
and we have responded to that by developing a training course to look at behaviors, risk and resilience factors,
school-based interventions and specialist support. A very important aspect to consider is also promoting staff
wellbeing.

Online safety is a vital consideration when thinking about children and young people's resilience and wellbeing. We
deliver training to school staff in the Think now educational resources developed by CEOP (Child Exploitation and
Online Protection). The training provides an introduction to the work of CEOP, and a presentation on how young
people are using technology, outlining some of the associated risks and the preventative measures that can be
undertaken. Through the use of their educational materials you can help to empower and protect young people
from the harm of sexual abuse and exploitation, both online and off.

Good emotional health during adolescence is associated with educational success, the development of a healthy
lifestyle and reduced risk of adverse socioeconomic outcomes, psychiatric disorders, self-harm, and suicide in later
life.1–6 Studies from the educational literature have suggested features of middle and high school environments
that may have an impact on emotional well-being, such as school size and ratio of students to teachers, pedagogic
practice, and quality of interactions within the school.7–10 Observational studies have found evidence that positive
peer and teacher relationships,11–15 a school climate judged favorably on aspects such as safety and
fairness,14,16,17 and feelings of school “connectedness” or “bonding”18–21 are all associated with better
emotional health.

However, one problem with much of this evidence base is that the concepts and terms examined, such as “climate”
and “connectedness,” are often not well defined or are used interchangeably and tend to comprise a wide range of
only loosely related factors, including respectful and supportive relationships, commitment to school, participation,
and feeling safe.22,23 Therefore, work is needed to examine which particular factors are being measured in each
study under the broader terms and to collate the evidence for the impact of each of these more specific factors. A
second problem is that the cross-sectional design of most of the studies makes it impossible to establish the direction
of the association between the school environment and emotional health, because depression may distort
adolescents’ perceptions of their school life.

There is increasing policy support for schools to promote the emotional health of students alongside their academic
development in the United States,24 United Kingdom,25,26 and elsewhere.27,28 To this end, a number of
classroom-based programs have been developed that generally aim to improve coping skills or develop knowledge
regarding emotional disorders and how to seek help.29–32 Evidence to date suggests that such interventions may
not be sufficient to influence adolescent emotional health,33 and so there has been a growing interest in developing
“whole-school” approaches34–36 that target no curriculum aspects of school life including its ethos, physical
environment, policies and procedures, provision of services, and relationships with the wider community.37,38

Although efforts to improve schools have typically focused on issues such as behavior and academic performance,
various reviews have examined the potential for school-based interventions to improve emotional health.33, 39–41
the general consensus is that an approach that focuses on environmental as well as individual change is likely to be
the most successful. However, this conclusion is based on few studies of adolescent populations and encompasses
a wide range of outcomes including self-concept and violent behavior. No review has drawn together the evidence
specifically examining the impact of the school environment on adolescent emotional health.