Students in High-Achieving Schools: Perils of Pressures to Be “Standouts”

Luthar, Suniya S.; Suh, Bin; Ebbert, Ashley M.; Kumar, Nina L.

doi:10.1007/s42844-020-00009-3

Cited by 12 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 57 publications

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“…Expectations that wealth signifies advantage can result in excessive pressures for children in relatively affluent, high achieving school contexts to match or surpass the impressive accomplishments of their peers (Ebbert et al., 2019; National Academies of Science, Engineering, & Medicine, 2019b). Community norms of high achievement can lead to constant social comparison, competition, and envy, which can negatively affect relationships, self-worth, and adjustment (Luthar, Kumar, et al., 2020; Luthar, Suh, et al., 2020). Besides social-emotional adjustment, there are potential implications for performance outcomes as well, even decades later.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic Overview of Meta-Analyses on Socioeconomic Status, Cognitive Ability, and Achievement: The Need to Focus on Specific Pathways

Korous¹,

Causadías

Bradley

et al. 2020

Psychol Rep

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Meta-analyses on the relation between socioeconomic status (SES) and performance on measures of cognitive ability and achievement arrive at the same general conclusion of a small to medium association. Advancements in methods make possible for meta-analyses to examine specific pathways linking SES to cognitive ability and achievement, as well as the moderators of these pathways. In this study, we conducted a systematic overview of meta-analyses on SES to address three research questions: 1) what is the direction and overall strength of association between SES and performance on measures of cognitive ability and achievement, and how precise are the effect sizes reported? 2) to what extent have meta-analyses examined moderation by components of SES, age, sex, and race/ethnicity? and 3) to what extent have meta-analyses examined mechanisms linking SES to cognitive ability and achievement? We conducted a systematic search using online archives (i.e., PsycINFO, ERIC, PubMed, Sociological Abstracts, and Web of Science), searching issues in Psychological Bulletin and Review of Educational Research, and examining references and citations. We identified 14 meta-analyses published between 1982 and 2019. These meta-analyses consistently reported positive associations of small to medium magnitude, indicating that SES is a meaningful contributor to the development of cognitive ability and achievement. Fewer meta-analyses reported evidence of moderation by age, sex, and race/ethnicity. None of the meta-analyses directly examined mechanisms, but provided evidence of possible mechanisms for future research. We suggest that meta-analyses can increase their contribution to future research, interventions, and policy by narrowing their focus on specific pathways.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Systematic Overview of Meta-Analyses on Socioeconomic Status, Cognitive Ability, and Achievement: The Need to Focus on Specific Pathways

Korous¹,

Causadías

Bradley

et al. 2020

Psychol Rep

Self Cite

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“…Data for this study were taken from a larger packet of questionnaires administered by schools as part of their ongoing initiatives on positive youth development, based on salient issues and concerns that are identified specifically within their own student bodies (e.g., see Luthar, Ebbert, & Kumar, 2021; Luthar, Suh, et al, 2020). Following completion of data collection, each school shared their anonymous, de-identified data with the present research team, who shared summarized central findings with leadership within 7–10 days using interactive dashboards.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Such replication of findings is valuable in helping to formulate future a priori hypotheses, especially when constructs are still little understood and conceptually overlapping (Vosgerau et al, 2019). To illustrate, in other recent research encompassing multiple HAS samples, multivariate analyses showed that social comparisons had robust, significant links with internalizing symptoms across all (i.e., in 100% of analyses conducted), while a conceptually related variable, envy of peers, was linked in less than half (33% of analyses conducted; Luthar, Suh, et al, 2020). For future research, these analyses led to the a priori hypothesis that distress among HAS students rests on feelings of inferiority in ongoing social comparisons rather than necessarily involving active resentment of others more successful.…”

Section: Analytic Approach: Seeking Replicated Robust Associationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk and resilience among Asian American youth: Ramifications of discrimination and low authenticity in self-presentations.

Luthar

Ebbert

Kumar

2021

American Psychologist

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This study examines adjustment patterns among a group neglected in developmental science-Asian American students in high-achieving schools. National reports have declared such schools to connote risk for elevated problems among teens. Asian American students are commonly referred to as model minorities, but little is known about adjustment issues within academically competitive settings, specifically. Guided by past research on culturally salient issues, multiple U.S. high schools were examined to (a) determine areas of relative strength versus weakness in adjustment of Asian Americans compared with Whites, and (b) more importantly, to illuminate salient within-group processes related to Asian Americans' well-being. Risk modifiers examined were perceptions of ethnic discrimination, parent perfectionism, internalized achievement pressure, authenticity in self-presentation, and closeness to school adults. Outcome variables included depression, anxiety, and isolation at school. Results demonstrated that Asian Americans fared better than Whites on anxiety and school isolation, but with low effect sizes. By contrast, they fared more poorly on almost all risk modifiers, with a large effect size on discrimination. Regression results showed that among Asian Americans the most consistent associations, across cohorts and outcomes, were for discrimination and authenticity. Findings underscore the need for greater recognition that discrimination could be inimical for students not typically thought of as vulnerable-Asian Americans in high-achieving schools; these issues are especially pressing in light of increased racism following coronavirus disease 2019 . Results also suggest that feelings of inauthenticity could be a marker of generalized vulnerability to internalizing symptoms. Implications for future theory and interventions are discussed. Public Significance StatementAmong Asian American students from six high-achieving schools (HASs), this study illuminated two factors consistently linked with high depression and isolation at school: Exposure to discrimination, and tendencies to keep their "true selves" invisible in everyday life. Results call for increased attention to diversity, equity, and inclusion issues among Asian American HAS students, along with other groups of ethnic minority youth who are commonly (and appropriately) cited as vulnerable to systemic racism.

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“…Moreover, we focused on the crucial phase of adolescence, in which students face several challenges and must complete certain developmental tasks. By focusing on high-achieving students, the study also addresses an important group of at-risk students (see Luthar et al, 2020) in terms of well-being. Additionally, we analyzed all theoretically derived, potentially relevant constructs simultaneously and applied state-of-the-art methods to answer our research questions.…”

Section: Limitations and Strengthsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beneficial and negative factors for the development of students’ well-being in educational context

Stang-Rabrig

Schwerter

Witmer³

et al. 2022

Curr Psychol

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Students’ school-related well-being (SWB) is of vital importance. Nevertheless, it is unclear how SWB develops in late adolescence, especially among students in high-achieving environments and which factors are associated with it. Based on a longitudinal dataset (T1: Grade 11, T2: Grade 12), we analyzed how SWB (school satisfaction, academic self-concept, stress experience, exam anxiety, peer satisfaction) develops and whether psychological needs (autonomy, competence, relatedness) and achievement pressure from teachers and parents were related to the development. 1,286 students from high-achieving high schools (46.7% female, MageT1 = 16.40) answered sociodemographic questions and questions about key variables. From T1 to T2, particularly students’ stress experience and peer satisfaction declined. Need fulfilment and perceived achievement pressure was related to changes. Implications for research and practice are discussed.

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Students in High-Achieving Schools: Perils of Pressures to Be “Standouts”

Cited by 12 publications

References 57 publications

A Systematic Overview of Meta-Analyses on Socioeconomic Status, Cognitive Ability, and Achievement: The Need to Focus on Specific Pathways

A Systematic Overview of Meta-Analyses on Socioeconomic Status, Cognitive Ability, and Achievement: The Need to Focus on Specific Pathways

Risk and resilience among Asian American youth: Ramifications of discrimination and low authenticity in self-presentations.

Beneficial and negative factors for the development of students’ well-being in educational context

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