Podcast Summary
Pressure to succeed in academics linked to teen anxiety and depression: Wealthy countries' teens face increased anxiety and depression despite overall happiness, linked to high test scores and academic pressure
The pressure to succeed in academics, particularly in competitive educational systems, may be contributing to increased anxiety and depression among adolescents in wealthy countries. This counterintuitive finding was uncovered by professors Dirk Bethmann and Robert Rudolph in their analysis of international happiness data. Despite the general trend of higher subjective well-being among adults in richer countries, they found that teenagers in these countries often experience sadness and anxiety. The strongest correlation was between high standardized test scores and teen anxiety. While some may argue that this is a necessary part of a complex economy, others suggest that the current culture of success may be causing unnecessary stress among young people. With the rise in teen anxiety and depression, it's worth considering whether we need to reevaluate our educational priorities and reduce the pressure on students to perform at all costs.
School Anxiety Among Teenagers: Pressure to Succeed and Catch Up: The pandemic intensified school anxiety among teenagers, particularly in upper middle and high income families, due to pressure to attend selective colleges and the competition for admissions, leading to stress, truancy, and a sense of falling behind.
The rise of school anxiety among teenagers, particularly in upper middle and high income families, has been a gradual process that gained momentum in recent years. The pressure to attend selective colleges and universities has reached unprecedented levels, leading to anxiety, truancy, and a sense of falling behind. This trend was already prevalent before the pandemic, but the pandemic has intensified it, with students feeling the need to make up for lost time and catch up with their peers. The competition for college admissions has become more intense, with test scores gaining even more significance due to the increasing number of test-optional policies. The result is that students who previously felt they had an advantage now feel at a disadvantage, adding to their stress and anxiety. The conversation with Dr. Lisa Damour highlights the need for a shift in mindset around success and the role of parents, teachers, and colleges in addressing this issue.
Anxiety over elite college admissions: Parents' increased involvement and competition for limited college seats fuel anxiety, making college attendance a defining factor in future success, despite its limitations.
The intense competition for elite college admissions, driven by awareness of rankings and the desire to maintain or increase social status, has led to an unprecedented level of anxiety among students and their parents. This anxiety stems from the scarcity of college seats relative to the growing number of applicants, leaving many students feeling uncertain about their future prospects. Parents, in particular, have become increasingly involved in the college application process as they seek to ensure their children's success in a world that feels less predictable. The complexities of the application process, which has evolved significantly since previous generations, also contributes to this anxiety. Ultimately, this competition and anxiety surrounding college admissions has created a culture where the college attended becomes a defining factor in one's future success, despite the limitations of this belief.
College application process puts pressure on students and families: The college application process can lead to excessive pressure, compel students to excel in multiple areas, and result in a disillusioning experience for some, highlighting the need for a balanced approach to education and preparation.
The college application process places immense pressure on both students and their families, creating a significant workload and potential for disappointment. Colleges aim to assess the "full person" through various talents and accomplishments, but this can lead to students feeling compelled to excel in multiple areas and parents spending countless hours helping them apply. The shift away from standardized tests, while beneficial for increasing accessibility, can also result in students feeling pressured to expand their accomplishments beyond what is necessary for college admission. This can lead to a disillusioning experience for students who have oriented their lives around college admissions, only to find out that the process is largely random. It's essential to recognize the potential psychological impact on students and encourage a balanced approach to education and college preparation.
Girls vs Boys: Different Approaches to Learning: Parents and teachers should shift focus from praising just good grades to recognizing efficient effort, helping girls build confidence in their skills and potential, reducing gender imbalance in leadership positions.
While girls outperform boys academically, they often rely too heavily on their work ethic and don't learn to gauge their skills and potential for underperformance. Boys, on the other hand, learn to game the system and figure out the minimum effort required to achieve good grades, building confidence in their abilities. This essay by Lisa Strohman suggests that parents and teachers need to shift their focus and praise both boys and girls for efficient effort rather than just good grades. By doing so, we can help girls build confidence in their skills and potential, making them more competitive in the workforce. The current system, where girls are praised for their diligence and boys for their efficiency, perpetuates the gender imbalance in leadership positions. It's essential to recognize and address this issue to promote gender equality in education and beyond.
Encourage students to find balance and avoid overworking: Help students assess workload, prioritize tasks, and ensure they get enough sleep to maintain academic success and well-being
While it's important for students to develop a strong work ethic and strive for excellence, it's equally important for adults to help them become strategic and avoid overworking. This means encouraging students to assess their workload, prioritize their efforts, and find balance. One crucial aspect of this balance is ensuring students get enough sleep, ideally 9 hours a night. Lack of sleep can significantly contribute to student stress and anxiety, and addressing the root causes of sleep deprivation is essential. These causes can range from excessive workload to excessive screen time or even external pressures like having to work multiple jobs. By focusing on minimum viability excellence and prioritizing sleep, we can help students achieve their academic goals without sacrificing their well-being.
Optimal sleep for academic performance and well-being: Aim for 7.5 hours for academic success and 9 hours for overall well-being, prioritize sleep, and manage workload effectively.
Just as strength training requires a balance of pushing yourself to the limit and allowing for rest and recovery, intellectual and emotional growth also necessitates a balance between challenging work and downtime. A 2017 study on adolescent sleep duration and academic achievement and mental health found that the optimal amount of sleep for peak academic performance is 7 hours and 30 minutes, while the optimal amount for peak well-being is 9 hours. While sacrificing some academic performance for an extra hour and a half of sleep may seem daunting, it ultimately leads to greater overall well-being. When working with clients, it's essential to acknowledge the trade-offs and help them find a balance that works for their individual circumstances. Encourage students to prioritize sleep, but also to make a plan for managing their workload effectively, such as breaking tasks into smaller chunks or seeking help when needed. By recognizing the importance of both growth and recovery, we can help young people thrive in all areas of their lives.
Managing Academics and Sleep: Prioritize schoolwork during the day, minimize distractions, and maintain a healthy sleep schedule to excel academically.
The pressure to perform academically in high schools often leads to a "stress Olympics" culture, where students compete over who gets the least sleep. However, there are students who manage to excel academically while maintaining a healthy sleep schedule. These students often prioritize their schoolwork during the day, focusing intently during homework time, and minimizing distractions such as social media. Schools and educators can help by highlighting these students and encouraging healthier habits. Additionally, students often face tough choices between sleep, school, social life, and social media, and social media's displacement effect can have significant consequences, impacting not only their academic performance but also their relationships and overall well-being.
Setting healthy boundaries for children's technology use: Prioritize sleep, socialization, physical activity, meaningful contributions, and focused study. Avoid tech in bedrooms, especially overnight, and educate families about realistic college expectations.
In the complex issue of smartphones, social media, and teenage anxiety, it's crucial to establish healthy boundaries for children's technology use. Prioritize essential activities like sleep, in-person socialization, physical activity, meaningful contributions, and focused study. Avoid having tech in bedrooms, especially overnight, as it negatively impacts sleep. Schools can help by educating families about realistic college expectations and reducing the pressure to consume all academic offerings. Encouraging authentic engagement with learning can also alleviate the need for students to feign enjoyment of every subject.
Emphasize individual learning styles and reduce pressure on unrealistic goals: Focus on fostering resilience and growth mindset, rather than fixating on college admissions. Encourage students to focus on their own progress and control the controllables.
Teachers and parents should aim to reduce the pressure on students to conform to specific academic expectations and instead focus on what is controllable. The metaphor of serving "broccoli" in the classroom emphasizes the importance of accommodating individual learning styles and reducing the stress of meeting unrealistic goals. Additionally, research suggests that the colleges students ultimately attend have less impact on their future success than the habits they develop during their high school years. Therefore, parents and teachers should prioritize fostering resilience and a growth mindset, rather than fixating on college admissions. The key is to encourage students to focus on their own progress and control the controllables, while acknowledging that much of their future success is beyond their immediate control.
Reframing the importance of college choice: Colleges and students should focus on finding a college that fits their needs and serves their growth, rather than solely on prestige or branding.
Colleges and students need to reframe the importance of college choice beyond the pressure of branding and prestige. According to Dr. Lisa Damour, colleges are grappling with the mental health concerns of students who arrive on campus with insufficient self-care skills due to the intense competition to become stellar applicants. To help alleviate this issue, Dr. Damour suggests that colleges and teenagers acknowledge that college choice does not define one's future as irrevocably as they may believe. Instead, students should focus on finding a college that fits their needs and serves their growth. By reducing the stress around college selection, students can focus on their emotional and psychological well-being, which will ultimately benefit them in their academic and personal lives.
