Impact of Academic Stress on Mental Health among Secondary School Students in Government Schools

Abstract

The present study explores the impact of academic stress on the mental health of secondary school students in government schools of Indore, Madhya Pradesh. Mental health plays a vital role in students’ overall development and learning outcomes, while excessive academic stress can disrupt emotional balance, concentration, and motivation, especially among adolescents. A descriptive survey design was employed with a sample of 50 government school students selected through simple random sampling. Standardized instruments—the Academic Stress Scale (Uday Kumar Sinha) and Mental Health Inventory (A.K. Singh & Alpana Sen Gupta)—were administered, and data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlation, and t-test with SPSS v26. The findings revealed moderate levels of academic stress (M = 13.88) and mental health (M = 67.14). A significant negative correlation was found between academic stress and mental health (r = –0.498, p = 0.0002), indicating that higher stress levels correspond with poorer mental wellbeing. Further comparison across stress levels showed significant differences in mental-health scores (t = 2.49, p = 0.016), confirming that academic stress has a substantial adverse effect on students’ mental health. The study highlights the urgent need for structured counselling, stress-management programs, and resilience-building activities within government schools to enhance students’ psychological wellbeing and academic performance.