Abstract:

School is often the main source of stress and anxiety for adolescents. While stress can be a normal response to challenges, excessive and prolonged stress may result in fear of failure, feelings of inadequacy, and anxiety, with negative effects on well-being and academic outcomes. This study investigated school-related stress among 268 high school students, focusing on general school stress, experienced anxiety in school-related situations, and students' responses to school stress, and differences by gender, grade level, and academic performance. School stress is widespread among high school students, and it is particularly acute in situations involving assessments. Mathematics was identified as the most stressful subject, while fatigue and nervousness were the most common psychophysical responses to stress among high school students. Female students, those in higher grades, and those with poorer academic performance experienced the most stress. Correlation analyses further confirmed strong positive associations between general school stress, situational anxiety, and stress responses.