How schools are tackling the impact of GCSEs on mental health
With students approaching a new academic year and this year’s GCSE and A-level results just out, discussions have once again been turned to the level of stress that exams, particularly GCSEs, bring on young minds. With the exam intensity increasing each year, levels of stress are also on the rise. The question is whether this stress is a natural motivator, or whether it pushes youngsters too hard – to the point where there is a possibility of developing mental health issues. Childline delivered 2,795 counselling sessions for exam stress between 2018 and 2019. One third of these sessions took place during the exam season months. The most common age for students to seek this help was between 15 and 16, with girls five times more likely to ask for help with mental health than boys. Within this article, we explore the difference in healthy stress and unhealthy stress and highlight that our current exam system may well be aggravating stress levels, as well as the line between stress and mental health conditions and how the two relate to each other. Identifying mental health issues The fact is that healthy stress, toxic stress and mental health are different to one another, although the terms ‘stress’ and ‘anxiety’ are often used interchangeably. We go through stress to help deal with present threats. Whether this is pressure at work, home, or school, this current pressure causes adrenaline to be released and cause a feeling of stress. This is a natural reaction in a short-term scenario. However, if we experience too much stress or if the chemical adrenaline lingers in our bloodstreams for too long, then we can experience anxiety. Anxiety brings a whole host of symptoms with it, including sickness, panic attacks, and dizziness. Anxiety continues to pressure a person long after the pressure-causing event has gone. This can be caused by an internal chemical imbalance, hence the prolonged effects even without a current, identifiable event causing the feelings. This in and of itself can prove upsetting for an individual with anxiety, as they feel there’s no observable reason for them to feel like this. In a nutshell, stress is something we experience when we come across immediate, present threats or pressure. Anxiety is usually longer lasting, and often deals with concerns of the future; it is a response to hypothetical, potential pressures to come. Where stress is a response to a currently occurring issue, anxiety has been considered as an intolerance for uncertainty. When stress is embraced Healthy stress is quite beneficial, but the downside is that its temporary. It is born out of our fight-or-flight instinct, where present threats or pressures took the form of predators more than academic performance! Experiencing stress before an exam is normal. The adrenaline is all part of the body and brain getting ready to perform. It is important that students are aware that a little stress is nothing to fear. It’s normal, and it’s helpful. With a healthy, manageable level of stress, people often perform well. Of course, the key element here is ‘manageable’. When this healthy burst of stress builds and spirals out of control, affecting areas of life outside of the exam hall, then it most certainly isn’t helpful, nor is it healthy. If a student finds themselves feeling stressed outside the exam hall, and that that stress is impacting home life or classroom behaviour, it’s time to look at the issue from the viewpoint of anxiety. Combatting stress Anxiety’s damage comes in, lingers and gets tangled with everything. Often, people suffering from anxiety note that little to nothing seems enjoyable anymore, as there’s something in everything they do that makes them worry more or their feelings of anxiety are so overwhelming that they cannot focus on anything else. Simply ‘taking their mind off it’ isn’t possible. Experiencing jittery feelings and nerves before exams is one thing. But when that worry lingers long after you’ve left the exam hall and starts to extend out into future ‘what if’ scenarios, that’s when anxiety could be developing. Often, anxiety is characterised as a feeling of ‘doom’ in these future worries. The worst-case scenario is, in the throes of anxiety, suddenly a fact rather than a hypothetical. With this in mind, how can schools provide for students in order to ensure stress remains at healthy, short bursts and not a lingering, damaging, and often harmful condition? What schools can do to help Schools can provide a number of methods to help their students in the run up to their exams: • Encourage achievement but avoid undue pressure. — Particularly for high-achievers, the pressure to perform perfectly in exams can be a lot to handle. These students can feel that they not only need to achieve the grade for themselves, but for their parents and teachers or they will risk letting them down. Many may feel shocked or ashamed if they gain a grade 8 in their exam when they were ‘expected’ to get a grade 9. Assure them that this top-tier grade is still that: a top-tier grade, and more than enough to see them on to future success! • Remind students that exams are important, but they are not the most important thing in life. — We’re not saying tell your students the exams don’t matter; of course they do. But make sure the scale is realistic. You want, and expect, them to do their best. Achieving good results here will build a great foundation for their lives. But remind them that a failed exam will not mark them for the rest of their lives, nor will it be the defining of them: let them have a chuckle at some of Jeremy Clarkson’s tongue-in-cheek tweets each year during exam season, such as: “If you’re a level results are disappointing, don’t worry. I got a C and two Us, and I’m currently on a superyacht in the Med.” • Arrange stress-buster sessions. — Learning how to handle and manage stress is a vital skill. Particularly at
Project reveals new way to combat stress and anxiety in teachers
Schools and academies across the length and breadth of the country are full of staff battling stress and anxiety, leading one Trust to explore an innovative solution to the problem. Leigh Academies Trust in Dartford decided to look at ways to combat stress in school staff by using Cranial Electrotherapy Stimulation (CES) with the use of an Alpha-Stim Device. The Alpha-Stim is a portable cranial electrotherapy stimulation device that transmits tiny imperceptible microcurrents via ear-clips. It works by stimulating nerve cells in the brain stem, activating the pathways that generate increased levels of serotonin and endorphins. Its positive effects are also cumulative, suggesting that the Alpha-Stim may bring about a permanent positive change in our neurological make-up. The Alpha-Stim also encourages the production of alpha waves in the brain, which is a calming, soothing wave. The study was set up by deputy chief executive Neil Willis, HR director Richard Taylor, and educational psychologist Jo Buttle, who examined ways to improve staff well-being through the use of this device. The project involved using the Alpha-Stim portable electronic device to see if it reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties among staff. A total of 21 staff members used the device daily for between 20 and 60 minutes, over a four-week period. A number of pre and post measurements were taken to monitor changes in anxiety, depression, sleep and general welfare. Staff at the University of Greenwich kindly carried out the statistical analysis of the results. Richard Taylor, HR Director of Leigh Academies Trust said: “As a Trust, we recognise that at times the challenges that teachers face in both school and home can lead to the onset of mental health problems. Leigh Academies Trust believes that teacher wellbeing is one of the most important issues currently in education and, as a result, we have been exploring ways to help teachers maintain positive mental health. “In addition to mindfulness sessions and examining the workload challenge we have been trialling the use of cranial electrotherapy stimulation to help reduce the symptoms of depression and anxiety as well as help with sleep disorders. As part of the trial we administered, in partnership with our educational psychologists, several controlled trials to see if the impact would justify a wider rollout. “The results from these trials were extremely encouraging and we saw a positive impact on the quality of life scores for nearly all those using the device. In light of the results, we are now rolling the scheme out so that it is available to all staff in the Trust. Whilst this is not the sole solution to improve teacher wellbeing it is a fantastic tool to help staff maintain positive mental health.” Jo Buttle, educational psychologist added: “It has been great to work with the Trust in supporting staff well-being. The Trust’s dynamic and forward thinking approach enabled us to adopt a creative strategy in helping reduce the symptoms of anxiety, depression and sleep difficulties amongst staff. The results are excellent and suggest this is something schools and academies should consider as part of their staff support strategy.” To determine whether the system was having a positive influence, the staff completed four scales: The Quality of Life Enjoyment and Satisfaction Questionnaire-Short Form (Q-LES-Q-SF); Bourion-Bédès et al., 2015 The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI); Buysse, 1989 Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI); Beck et al., 1961 Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI); Beck & Steer, 1993 Using Q-LES-Q-SF scores, where higher scores on the scale indicate greater satisfaction, the mean scores improved from 3.3 to 3.7; a statistically significant difference in the positive direction. Using PSQI scores, where higher scores indicate worse sleep quality, following the treatment, mean scores had decreased from 1.28 to 0.76. This difference was statistically significant in the positive direction, which means that participants had better post-treatment sleep quality. Scores on the BDI tended to also display a better quality of life in terms of improved sleeping patterns and improved appetite. There are four sub-scales on the BAI scale. In terms of neurophysiological symptoms, mean scores of 0.43 pre-treatment and 0.34 post-treatment were not significantly different; however, subjective feelings of anxiety significantly changed between pre-treatment, 1.05, and post-treatment, 0.55. In addition, panic feelings significantly reduced from a pre-treatment mean of 0.46, to post-treatment mean of 0.25, whilst autonomic symptoms significantly reduced from a mean pre-treatment score of 0.94, to 0.52 post-treatment. The Alpha-Stim has numerous clinical studies behind it and after a 120 patient NHS trial that started in September last year is now being used by IAPT services to help treat patients with anxiety disorders. It retails for £549 or is available on a buy-to-rent scheme from £51 a month. For more information please visit www.alpha-stim.co.uk or call 01487 208041. Schools and academies interested in running a trial or wishing to find out more about supporting staff using the Alpha-Stim please visit www.iepskent.co.uk or call 01732 770031