Cross-national trends in perceived school pressure by gender and age from 1994 to 2010

Abstract

Factors associated with child development and differences in societal expectations and structures, along with the possible, albeit, differential impact of the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA), may partially explain the differences and trends found in school pressure. School pressure increases alongside the onset of adolescence and the shift from elementary school to the higher demanding expectations of secondary education. Time-related increases in school pressure occurred in the years following the release of the PISA results, and were larger in those regions in which results were less positive.

Health, economy and social capital in Nordic children aged 13-17 years and their families: changes between 1984, 1996 and 2011

“…The increase of PSC in teenagers is in line with many other studies, in the Nordic countries as well in most of the Western world, [38][39][40]47] as is the gender difference. [48] It is perhaps not expected that the increase happens in conjunction with improved family economy, but it is not a new phenomenon.…”

“…Other studies, both from the Nordic countries and elsewhere, have shown that social capital in the family, at school and in the neighborhood has a positive influence on the children's health and wellbeing. [7,37,38,49] The study supports conclusions from other studies stating that a general economic growth is not enough for the wellbeing of the population. It also supports the importance of the social cohesion, affiliation and solidarity, advanced and reinforced by equal distribution of the wealth.…”

“…A large part of this development is explained by political and structural changes and particularly the increasing societal inequity is found to be crucial for people's economy, education, status, health and wellbeing. [33][34][35][36][37][38] An analysis of different demographic and social variables in various relevant subgroups should be made in further studies. …”

“…[38][39][40] There is a growing proportion of young people leaving compulsory school without qualifications for further studies, and on top of that, there are great problems with young people's integration into the labor markets. [41] However, there are also other factors that could influence the development of PSC: these kinds of unwanted problems are less accepted today than they were 25 years ago, both by children and parents, and physical health problems have disappeared or diminished from the youngsters' lives, which might open up for new and "milder" concerns.…”

Trends in perceived school stress among adolescentsin five Nordic countries 2002–2014

“…This exposure to academic demands facilitates learning and developments, but may also be a source of stress during adolescence. An international comparative survey showed a marked increase in school stress in the transition through adolescence (Klinger et al, 2015). It also showed consistent gender and age differences over time.…”