Academic Stress and Its Impact on Teenagers Essay

Introduction

Stress is an immediate component of various spheres of human life, including education, due to its intensive pressure on students’ learning, socialization, and identity search. Indeed, academic stress is considered a set of psychological experiences associated with the accomplishment of educational tasks and goals (Odaci, Kaya, & Aydin, 2022). Teenagers, as young individuals who establish their purpose in life, choose their profession, and form social ties, are particularly exposed to the burden of academic stress. Moreover, difficult syllabus, competition among peers, and the need to meet parents’ expectations lead to increased rates of anxiety, depression, and suicide in teenagers (Nagle & Sharma, 2018). Teenagers lack coping skills and do not tolerate the uncertainties and difficulties of school life. Research shows that “people who are intolerant of uncertainty will experience heightened levels of anxiety, show more posttraumatic stress symptoms and hyperarousal, and have low levels of self‐control appraisals and problem‐focused coping” (Odaci et al., 2022, p. 3). Thus, it is essential to reduce the negative impact of academic stress on teenagers to preserve their psychological health.

Possible Solutions to the Problem

When it comes to adolescent psychological issues, academic stress becomes a significant factor hindering the well-being of young learners. For that matter, to solve the problem of stress burden, which negatively influences individuals’ mental and physical wellness, educational institutions, psychologists, and parents should take action (“How to help children and teens,” 2022). In particular, one of the pivotal areas for solution implementation is the educational setting. Indeed, the facilitation of the learning environment following students’ needs might minimize the threats of academic stress on teenagers by creating a healthy and friendly space for education. As stated by Nagle and Sharma (2018), “Counselors and health professionals must take the initiative to create awareness among the parents and teachers about their role in fostering a healthy environment” (p. 6). Such initiatives might include psychological consultations, group meetings, information dissemination, and the integration of prioritization of mental wellness into school culture. Ultimately, teenage students will be empowered to articulate their concerns, seek advice from professionals, and learn to deal with stress to enhance their resilience in adulthood. Thus, such a solution is characterized by a long-term developmental benefit.

Another possible solution is raising awareness about the harms of stress to human health to educate students and their parents on the risks associated with stress. Indeed, according to research, teenagers’ academic stress is associated with poor time management skills under the circumstances of high levels of workload in different disciplines and the pressures of socializing and finding a career path (Nagle & Sharma, 2018). Therefore, when raising awareness, educators might implement additional training practices to educate children on time management to help them mitigate the adverse outcomes of exposure to stress at school (“How to help children and teens,” 2022). Awareness among students and their parents, coupled with improved time-management skills, will help elevate the pressures of a heavy syllabus. Such a practical solution will only mitigate the pressures of studying challenges omitting socialization, competition with peers, and other school-based stressors.

Nonetheless, time management will strengthen teenagers’ skills in handling difficulties, tolerating uncertainties, and coping with tasks, which will help them in the future (Odaci et al., 2022). Thus, it is essential to raise awareness about stress and instill effective coping strategies through educational practices and time-management training.

Finally, another comprehensive solution to address academic stress among teenagers is the implementation of effective relaxation practices for students both at home and at school. Indeed, Nagle and Sharma (2018) state that to avert psychological complications, students “should be directed towards creative and constructive activities to enhance their capabilities, interests, aptitudes and encourage them to achieve their goals” (p. 6). The initiation of burden-free and friendly interest-based communities within educational facilities will allow teenagers to release the tension and acquire positive experiences that will improve their well-being. Moreover, similar practices aimed at reducing stress might be implemented at home by parents or caregivers. Teenage students should be encouraged to exercise, learn mindfulness, spend time outdoors, have a regular sleep regime, and acquire effective communicative skills to detect and address stress issues (“How to help children and teens,” 2022). Therefore, implementing these solutions is likely to eliminate the threats of stress on students and their families.

Conclusion

In summation, teenage academic stress is a combination of psychological experiences associated with extreme loads of academic tasks, performance excellence requirements, peer pressure, and age-related socialization and career-choosing challenges. The exposure of young learners to excessive stress leads to anxiety and depression, causing mental and physical health deterioration and even increasing the likelihood of suicide. To eliminate these risks, parents, psychologists, and educators should facilitate the learning environment for students to elevate the burden of stress and train adolescents on the use of coping skills. Thus, through awareness raising, time management, stress coping skills training, relaxation practices, and communication facilitation, teenagers will be able to overcome academic stress effectively, which will empower them in their adulthood.

References

How to help children and teens manage their stress. (2022). American Psychological Association. Web.

Nagle, Y. K., & Sharma, U. (2018). Academic stress and coping mechanism among students: An Indian perspective. Journal of Child Adolescence Psychology, 2(1), 6-8.

Odaci, H., Kaya, F., & Aydin, F. (2022). Does educational stress mediate the relationship between intolerance of uncertainty and academic life satisfaction in teenagers during the COVID‐19 pandemic?. Psychology in the Schools, 1-18.