Students stressed over job prospects

MORE kids than ever are stressed about exams – not because of pressure by their parents or schools but because of worrying about not being able to get a job.

The Sunday Territorian can reveal a survey of 1000 young people aged between 14 and 25, conducted by youth mental health service ReachOut, has shown an increase in “worrying levels” of exam stress, from 51.2 per cent in 2017 to 65.1 per cent in 2018.

Those “very stressed” or “extremely stressed” have jumped from 20.6 per cent in 2017 to 34.5 per cent in 2018.

A total of 42.8 per cent of those surveyed said they were stressed in part due to worrying about the future and 38.2 per cent were worried about getting a job in comparison to 29.6 per cent in 2017.

Traditional exam pressures such as parents, schools and access to university courses decreased over the same period.

Those young people who sought help from a mental health or medical professional doubled from 15.5 per cent in 2017 to 30.5 per cent in 2018 and online searches for help nearly tripled from 5.2 per cent in 2017 to 13.6 per cent in 2018.

ReachOut CEO Ashley De Silva said the research was worrying.

“The concerns of young people are completely understandable and there are many more modern stressors popping up,” Mr De Silva said. “The best thing young people stressed about exams can do is to get help and get help early.”

Kids Helpline manager Tony Fitzgerald said more young people were calling the service worried about exams and predicted the helpline would see a 15 per cent increase in calls relating to exam stress by the end of the year.

“I think this is something as a society we need to be concerned about. We want our kids to have a positive experience at school and for them to do well but that doesn’t mean we need to put undue pressure on them,” he said.

“What happens in school is not the be all and end all and if things don’t go well with their exam results there are so many other opportunities for them.”