Introduction

The escalating levels of stress among students in India represent a pervasive issue not only within the nation but also on a global scale. The severity of the problem is underscored by India’s alarmingly high suicide rates among individuals between 15 years to 29 years. According to the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB), the distressing statistics reveal that every hour witnesses the tragic occurrence of a student taking their own life in India, culminating in an average of twenty-eight student suicides within a 24-hour period during 2022. In the same year, India witnessed a staggering 1.3 lakh suicides, with students constituting 8% of the total, while the unemployed comprised 10%. The multifaceted reasons contributing to this alarming trend range from academic failure and unemployment to the pervasive specter of depression. Psychologists posit that students grapple with anxiety and traumatic disorders, primarily rooted in the fear of examinations and the burden of parental expectations, which impel them to achieve superior grades. A recent survey sheds light on the pervasive parental pressure, with a substantial 66% of students reporting that their parents exert significant stress for enhanced academic performance. Notably, non-graduate parents exerted more pressure compared to their graduate and postgraduate counterparts. The repercussions of such heightened pressure manifest in various detrimental forms, including sleep deprivation, eating disorders, excessive worrying, academic dishonesty, burnout, waning interest in hobbies, social withdrawal and the adoption of harmful coping mechanisms such as smoking and narcotics usage. This research aims to look into the detailed layers of this pressing issue, aiming to comprehend its underlying causes and propose interventions to reduce the adverse impact on the well-being of students in India.

The stress occurring among school students is complicated and related with almost all aspects of schools such as both academic and psychosocial. Students are often faced by enormous academic pressure that may comprise various factors such as examinations, assignments and striving for academic perfection. Another pressure comes in form of expectations from parents, teachers and peers; this results into a fear of failure and an eternal search for perfection. The emotional distress experienced by students is due to factors related to their social dynamics, such as harm, making friends and fitting in. External factors such as family problems, monetary difficulties and household challenges contribute to stress buildup. Additionally, other forms of stress in the landscape involve balancing several obligations as children grow up, dealing with transitions through life like puberty or college admission period, as well as adapting to new surroundings. Additionally, other technical related stresses like uncertainties over future, health concerns also make it impossible for school students to lead normal life. These complex stressors in various forms act upon the wellness of student’s minds and strategies of coping.

Literature Review

The study linked academic stress to students’ mental health, emphasizing immense pressure within the education system. High expectations from parents and schools contribute to demoralization, lacking adequate support. Positive academic engagement aligns with better mental well-being. Private school students face heightened stress due to excessive assignments, while government school students, often from disadvantaged backgrounds, experience varying levels of stress due to limited exposure and resources.

A study on diverse strategies were identified to alleviate stress among individuals. The research emphasized the efficacy of engaging in regular physical exercise as a fundamental method to reduce stress. Additionally, the adoption of various time management tools and active participation in leisure activities were proposed as beneficial approaches for addressing stress-related concerns among students. The study also recommended creating a conducive environment within educational institutions to reduce stress levels, highlighting the importance of altering teaching styles and introducing mentorship programs as refreshing elements in the educational system.

A study into stress levels among higher secondary students revealed notable gender and environmental distinctions. The research findings indicated that male students experience higher stress levels compared to their female counterparts. Moreover, academic stress was found to be more pronounced among urban students than their rural counterparts. Notably, students attending private schools exhibited elevated stress levels in comparison to their counterparts in government schools. Furthermore, the study stated that students pursuing the Science stream faced greater stress when contrasted with their peers in the arts stream.

An examination of stress levels among students in professional studies focused on the predominant role of curriculum and instructional parameters, contributing to 86% of the identified stress factors. Subsequently, placement related concerns constituted 63% of stress inducing factors, while assessment and teamwork issues accounted for 41% and 24%, respectively. The study addressed deeper into the identification of micro issues within these overarching parameters, outlining twelve sub-issues specifically associated with curriculum and instruction. The discernment of these sub-issues not only offered a comprehensive understanding of stressors but also provided academic administrators with valuable studies to initiate targeted efforts aimed at alleviating the severity of academic stress [1].

Significance of the study

The importance of stress as a determinant of school student’s health cannot be over emphasized. It helps in identifying stressors such as peer pressure among others with regards to their academic progress; social interactions; and external influence towards interventions aimed at curbing harmful substance abuse. Knowing the causes of this kind of stress helps in avoiding mental illnesses and also enhancing academic achievements. Also, it calls for systematic restructuring of educational systems as well as shifts in societal expectations geared towards creating strength-friendly settings. Overall, this study serves as a push towards mental health in education, creating healthy learning environments, and encouraging children to handle stress properly toward their overall development [2-4].

Scope of the study

The study on stress among school student’s studies into a comprehensive analysis of various stressors impacting students’ lives, encompassing academic, social and personal spheres. It studies the multitude of factors causing stress, including academic pressure, familial expectations, social dynamics and external stressors like financial difficulties. The study also aims to identify coping mechanisms, mental health implications and differences in stress levels among students from diverse socio-economic backgrounds and educational settings. It offers studies into interventions and support systems to reduce stress, making a deeper understanding of how stress impacts students’ overall well-being and academic performance.

Objectives

• To study the socio demographic data of the respondents

• To access the level of stress among the respondents

• To give suitable suggestions to overcome the stress

Materials and Methods

Research design

The study is a descriptive research design

Universe and sampling design: The universe of the present study consist of 30 respondents studying 9^th and 10^th standard students in St. Johns Higher Secondary School, Irungalur, Trichirappalli. The researcher collected 30 samples by using simple random sampling method [5].

Tools of data collection

The researcher collected the data using self- prepared questionnaire which consist of 30 questions to analyze the stress level of students in the school.

Data collection

The researcher collected the data through the structured questionnaire model, by that the socio demographic data and the stress among the students were analyzed [6].

Source of data

The present study is based on primary data and secondary data are collect from every possible source.

Primary data: The primary data has been collected among the students by using self- prepared questionnaire.

Secondary data: The secondary data of the study are collected from journals, book, magazines, articles, governments’ records and websites so on.

Materials and Methods

Research design

The study is a descriptive research design

Universe and sampling design: The universe of the present study consist of 30 respondents studying 9^th and 10^th standard students in St. Johns Higher Secondary School, Irungalur, Trichirappalli. The researcher collected 30 samples by using simple random sampling method [5].

Tools of data collection

The researcher collected the data using self- prepared questionnaire which consist of 30 questions to analyze the stress level of students in the school.

Data collection

The researcher collected the data through the structured questionnaire model, by that the socio demographic data and the stress among the students were analyzed [6].

Source of data

The present study is based on primary data and secondary data are collect from every possible source.

Primary data: The primary data has been collected among the students by using self- prepared questionnaire.

Secondary data: The secondary data of the study are collected from journals, book, magazines, articles, governments’ records and websites so on.

Results and Discussion

The below tables confirms the distribution of the demographics of the surveyed population. It reflects a higher representation of females (65.6%) compared to males (34.4%). Both genders are evenly distributed across the specified age groups. Urban areas show the highest respondent count (45.2%), followed by rural (29%) and semi-urban (25.8%) dwellers [7]. Predominantly, families with an income below 1 lakh annually (74.2%) form the largest group. Parental qualifications vary, with 34.4% from households where both parents are graduates, 18.8% with one graduate and 46.9% having parents with an education level of Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) or below. This demographic distribution reveals key data into the surveyed population’s socioeconomic and educational background (Tables 1 and 2).

The stress distribution across factors highlights family advice impacting 40.6% occasionally and 37.5% frequently, while mobile phone use leads to 46.9% experiencing frequent stress. Social media contributes to stress for 59.4%. Feeling unsafe impacts 53.3%, while exams affect 29% similarly. Surprisingly, 29% face frequent stress due to academic grades. These varied stressors underline the need for comprehensive support and coping strategies across multiple factors [8].

In relation to the causes of irritation resulting in stress among students, it is apparent that over half, at 65.6%, felt annoyed by advice given in reference to them by their relatives. The high percentage indicates the impact or even perceived ‘felt’ intrusion by the extended family members on student’s mental health [9]. Also, a significant 12.5% said they were stressed by parental commandments which could mean the influence that can be attributed to the commands imposed by fathers. Moreover, information about students’ mobile phone use also provides some useful clues regarding students’ stress patterns. Shockingly, a whopping 45.2% of those spending over 2 hours on mobile devices feel stressed out. Given that this high percentage implies the possibility of the link between too much time spent on the screens and increased stress in students. High percentages reporting stress were observed for even lower time brackets like one hour to two hours, suggesting that prolonged use of mobile phones is associated with stress [10].

The data shows that intervention is necessary regarding family pressures, as well mobile phone use to reduce stress among students. Stress induced by parental advice can be lowered by strategies which call for healthy parenting techniques focusing on good communication and support. Moreover, programs that promote safe use of cell phones as well as training children about moderation of screen time may help lower stress caused by long hours on phones [11]. Knowing about these stressors and how they affect students’ mental well-being emphasizes the need for schools to support and guide them towards a low stress environment for the pupils. The findings therefore give educators, parents and policymakers basis to come up with intervention that reduce stress and improve health, academic life for students.

Conclusion

The human body’s natural reaction to challenges is stress. Students encounter stress from various sources, and when it becomes chronic or reaches high levels, it can impede their learning, memory retention and academic achievements, irrespective of their age or grade. Furthermore, stress has the potential to adversely affect a student’s mental, emotional and physical well-being. Teachers and parents plays an important role in assisting students in avoiding chronic stress by gaining knowledge and a thorough understanding of prevalent stressors. Addressing stress in students is imperative, given its potential for serious and harmful effects.

This study also emphasizes the importance of creating a supportive environment where students can seek help and guidance. Recommendations include the introduction of school-based counseling programs, stress management workshops and making open communication between teachers, students and parents to reduce unnecessary pressure.

Limitations

The researcher had the limitations that he has selected only on school in Irungalur village, Trichirappalli.

Findings

In this research the researcher finds that the data provides diverse emotions towards advicegiving and a significant amount of people get offended particularly, by the relatives. Knowing what causes such student stress can aid advice and support system geared towards reducing its impacts. The main issue that needs to be addressed is how to deal with corruption.

Heavy mobile and social media usage among the majority population points to possible connection of screens and stress. In addition, studying the effect of long-term screen exposure on stress and student’s mental health is a must.

Stressors emanating from school include postschool fatigue, attending tuition regularly, having different feelings before assessments. The process of pinpointing stress triggers in the educational setting will help for specific stress solutions.

Suggestions

The study reveals many important conclusions about student stress triggers. The majority of students experienced significant academic pressure from mothers who imposed high standards that in turn contributed greatly to student stress. Parents, especially mothers, should avoid putting too much academic pressure on them because increased anxiety among students occurs due to such high educational demands. Students also get irritated with advice especially from their relatives. Fathers can be encouraged to give positive and encouraging direction may as well help. The other major stressor noted was excessive screens time particularly extensive phone usage as well as Social Media. Since a lot of time is spent with the screens, it’s advisable that students reduce their exposure to screens to relieve stress in them. Doing away with too much screen time can reduce stress and help students have a better equilibrium of their online life vs normal life activities which will be beneficial for their mental health.

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Citation: Stress among the School Students in Irungalur Village, Tiruchirappalli District-A Descriptive Study ASEAN Journal of Psychiatry, 25(10) December, 2024;1-6.