The main sources of stress reported by 423 Australian final-year high school students using the Academic Stress Questionnaire were school-related as expected. The highest sources of this stress were examinations and outcomes, too much to do, worry over future, making choices about career, studying for examinations, amount to learn, need to do well imposed by others, and self-imposed need to do well.

This study aimed at investigating the relationship between hours of homework, stress, and mood disturbance in senior high school students, 141 boys and 228 girls, recruited from high schools across Victoria, Australia. Participants' ages ranged from 16 to 18 years (M = 16.6, SD = .6). A 1-wk. homework diary, a Self-reported Stress scale, and the Profile of Mood States were administered to students. Analysis showed that the number of hours spent completing homework ranged from 10 to 65 hours per week (M = 37.0, SD = 12.2). Independent samples t-test analyses showed significant sex differences, with female students scoring higher on hours of homework, stress, and mood disturbance compared to male students. Pearson product-moment correlations were significant and positive for hours of homework with stress and for hours of homework with mood disturbance.

This study aimed at investigating the relationship between hours of homework, stress, and mood disturbance in senior high school students, 141 boys and 228 girls, recruited from high schools across Victoria, Australia. Participants' ages ranged from 16 to 18 years (M = 16.6, SD = .6). A 1-wk. homework diary, a Self-reported Stress scale, and the Profile of Mood States were administered to students. Analysis showed that the number of hours spent completing homework ranged from 10 to 65 hours per week (M = 37.0, SD = 12.2). Independent samples t-test analyses showed significant sex differences, with female students scoring higher on hours of homework, stress, and mood disturbance compared to male students. Pearson product-moment correlations were significant and positive for hours of homework with stress and for hours of homework with mood disturbance.

Casemix can provide extensive meaningful data for consultation-liaison psychiatry services that could assist in the argument for greater funding of these services.

Casemix can provide extensive meaningful data for consultation-liaison psychiatry services that could assist in the argument for greater funding of these services.

This study examined academic stress in female Victorian Certificate of Education (VCE) students in terms of somatic symptoms and mood disturbance before, during, and after the midyear examination period and also examined the role of self-efficacy, number of social supports, social support satisfaction, and health behaviours in mediating the effects of stress on symptoms and mood disturbance. It was hypothesised that (a) student would report increased somatic symptoms and mood disturbance during the examination period and that (b) self-efficacy, social support (number and satisfaction), and health behaviours would account for a significant proportion of variance for somatic symptoms and mood disturbance before, during, and after the exam period. The participants were 51 VCE students from a large Catholic girls’secondary college in Melbourne. Four weeks before the exam period, the Generalized Self-Efficacy Scale, Reported Health Behaviours Checklist, Short Form Social Support Questionnaire, Symptoms Checklist, and Profile of Mood States were administered.The Symptoms Checklist and Profile of Mood States were administered again during the exam week and four weeks after the exam period. Statistical analyses showed that the VCE examination period was associated with significantly increased self-reports of somatic symptoms and mood disturbances that were strongly indicative of high levels of stress. Self-efficacy was found to have a weak role in mediating the stress response during the exam week. Social support did not account for any of the variation in academic stress. Health behaviours accounted for a small but significant proportion of the variance in stress after the exam period. It was concluded that there is a need to study other factors that may attenuate the academic stress response in adolescent secondary school students. The perceptual and cognitive appraisal of academic stressors is suggested as an area that may be worthy of examination.The implications of the findings are discussed in terms of the impact that academic stress may have on adolescents’ health during this critical period of development.

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