Teens Should Be Taught How To Handle School Stress

Main Category: Anxiety / Stress
Also Included In: Psychology / Psychiatry;  Pediatrics / Children's Health
Article Date: 09 Jan 2009 - 6:00 PDT

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Teenagers are turning to alcohol and cigarettes to relieve school stress. This is the finding of a study presented at The British Psychological Society's Division of Educational and Child Psychology annual conference.

The study carried out by psychologist Dr Pamela Taylor at Salford Local Authority looked at the stressors and coping strategies of 172 fifteen and sixteen year-olds facing their GCSE examinations.

Dr Taylor said: "Teenagers face many pressures at school - continuous achievement, examinations and having to make important decisions about their futures."

Findings of the study indicate that the main stressors pupils experienced were the volume of coursework they were given, clashes with hand-in dates for assignments and teacher/pupil relationships. Although the majority of the pupils reported using adaptive coping strategies, such as listening to music, watching TV, sport and exercise or walking the dog, a number revealed that they engaged in forms of maladaptive coping such as drinking alcohol, smoking and taking drugs. Thirty percent drank alcohol to relieve stress, 16 percent smoked cigarettes and six percent used drugs.

Dr Taylor continued: "Over a quarter of these pupils reported suffering from high levels of school related stress. Our results illustrate how important it is to educate teenagers on the best ways to manage this stress, and highlight the dangers of using cigarettes, alcohol and drugs to cope."

"The study also shows there is a need for secondary schools to tackle pupils' school based problems and stressors, including time management, work-life balance and teacher/pupil relationships."

The British Psychological Society Division of Educational and Child Psychology's Annual Professional Development Event, runs from 7th - 9th January 2009 at Worsley Park Hotel and Country Club, Manchester.

The British Psychological Society