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August 16, 2021

Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in

by Sara M Moniuszko

It's no secret that kids hate homework. And as students grapple with an ongoing pandemic that has had a wide-range of mental health impacts, is it time schools start listening to their pleas over workloads?

Some teachers are turning to social media to take a stand against homework .

Tiktok user @misguided.teacher says he doesn't assign it because the "whole premise of homework is flawed."

For starters, he says he can't grade work on "even playing fields" when students' home environments can be vastly different.

"Even students who go home to a peaceful house, do they really want to spend their time on busy work? Because typically that's what a lot of homework is, it's busy work," he says in the video that has garnered 1.6 million likes. "You only get one year to be 7, you only got one year to be 10, you only get one year to be 16, 18."

Mental health experts agree heavy work loads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer may not be to eliminate homework altogether.

Emmy Kang, mental health counselor at Humantold, says studies have shown heavy workloads can be "detrimental" for students and cause a "big impact on their mental, physical and emotional health."

"More than half of students say that homework is their primary source of stress, and we know what stress can do on our bodies," she says, adding that staying up late to finish assignments also leads to disrupted sleep and exhaustion.

Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Talkspace, says heavy workloads can also cause serious mental health problems in the long run, like anxiety and depression.

And for all the distress homework causes, it's not as useful as many may think, says Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, a psychologist and CEO of Omega Recovery treatment center.

"The research shows that there's really limited benefit of homework for elementary age students, that really the school work should be contained in the classroom," he says.

For older students, Kang says homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night.

"Most students, especially at these high-achieving schools, they're doing a minimum of three hours, and it's taking away time from their friends from their families, their extracurricular activities. And these are all very important things for a person's mental and emotional health."

Catchings, who also taught third to 12th graders for 12 years, says she's seen the positive effects of a no homework policy while working with students abroad.

"Not having homework was something that I always admired from the French students (and) the French schools, because that was helping the students to really have the time off and really disconnect from school ," she says.

The answer may not be to eliminate homework completely, but to be more mindful of the type of work students go home with, suggests Kang, who was a high-school teacher for 10 years.

"I don't think (we) should scrap homework, I think we should scrap meaningless, purposeless busy work-type homework. That's something that needs to be scrapped entirely," she says, encouraging teachers to be thoughtful and consider the amount of time it would take for students to complete assignments.

The pandemic made the conversation around homework more crucial

Mindfulness surrounding homework is especially important in the context of the last two years. Many students will be struggling with mental health issues that were brought on or worsened by the pandemic, making heavy workloads even harder to balance.

"COVID was just a disaster in terms of the lack of structure. Everything just deteriorated," Kardaras says, pointing to an increase in cognitive issues and decrease in attention spans among students. "School acts as an anchor for a lot of children, as a stabilizing force, and that disappeared."

But even if students transition back to the structure of in-person classes, Kardaras suspects students may still struggle after two school years of shifted schedules and disrupted sleeping habits.

"We've seen adults struggling to go back to in-person work environments from remote work environments. That effect is amplified with children because children have less resources to be able to cope with those transitions than adults do," he explains.

'Get organized' ahead of back-to-school

In order to make the transition back to in-person school easier, Kang encourages students to "get good sleep, exercise regularly (and) eat a healthy diet."

To help manage workloads, she suggests students "get organized."

"There's so much mental clutter up there when you're disorganized... sitting down and planning out their study schedules can really help manage their time," she says.

Breaking assignments up can also make things easier to tackle.

"I know that heavy workloads can be stressful, but if you sit down and you break down that studying into smaller chunks, they're much more manageable."

If workloads are still too much, Kang encourages students to advocate for themselves.

"They should tell their teachers when a homework assignment just took too much time or if it was too difficult for them to do on their own," she says. "It's good to speak up and ask those questions. Respectfully, of course, because these are your teachers. But still, I think sometimes teachers themselves need this feedback from their students."

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Stanford research shows pitfalls of homework

A Stanford researcher found that students in high-achieving communities who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance and even alienation from society. More than two hours of homework a night may be counterproductive, according to the study.

Education scholar Denise Pope has found that too much homework has negative effects on student well-being and behavioral engagement. (Image credit: L.A. Cicero)

A Stanford researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter.

“Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good,” wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education .

The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students’ views on homework.

Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year.

Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night.

“The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students’ advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being,” Pope wrote.

Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school.

Their study found that too much homework is associated with:

• Greater stress: 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.

• Reductions in health: In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems.

• Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits: Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were “not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills,” according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy.

A balancing act

The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills.

Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as “pointless” or “mindless” in order to keep their grades up.

“This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points,” Pope said.

She said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said.

“Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development,” wrote Pope.

High-performing paradox

In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. “Young people are spending more time alone,” they wrote, “which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities.”

Student perspectives

The researchers say that while their open-ended or “self-reporting” methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for “typical adolescent complaining” – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe.

The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

Is it time to get rid of homework? Mental health experts weigh in.

It's no secret that kids hate homework. And as students grapple with an ongoing pandemic that has had a wide range of mental health impacts, is it time schools start listening to their pleas about workloads?

Some teachers are turning to social media to take a stand against homework.

Tiktok user @misguided.teacher says he doesn't assign it because the "whole premise of homework is flawed."

For starters, he says, he can't grade work on "even playing fields" when students' home environments can be vastly different.

Mental health experts agree heavy workloads have the potential do more harm than good for students, especially when taking into account the impacts of the pandemic. But they also say the answer may not be to eliminate homework altogether.

Emmy Kang, mental health counselor at Humantold , says studies have shown heavy workloads can be "detrimental" for students and cause a "big impact on their mental, physical and emotional health."

Cynthia Catchings, a licensed clinical social worker and therapist at Talkspace , says heavy workloads can also cause serious mental health problems in the long run, like anxiety and depression.

And for all the distress homework can cause, it's not as useful as many may think, says Dr. Nicholas Kardaras, a psychologist and CEO of Omega Recovery treatment center.

"The research shows that there's really limited benefit of homework for elementary age students, that really the school work should be contained in the classroom," he says.

For older students, Kang says, homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night.

"Most students, especially at these high achieving schools, they're doing a minimum of three hours, and it's taking away time from their friends, from their families, their extracurricular activities. And these are all very important things for a person's mental and emotional health."

Catchings, who also taught third to 12th graders for 12 years, says she's seen the positive effects of a no-homework policy while working with students abroad.

The answer may not be to eliminate homework completely but to be more mindful of the type of work students take home, suggests Kang, who was a high school teacher for 10 years.

"I don't think (we) should scrap homework; I think we should scrap meaningless, purposeless busy work-type homework. That's something that needs to be scrapped entirely," she says, encouraging teachers to be thoughtful and consider the amount of time it would take for students to complete assignments.

The pandemic made the conversation around homework more crucial

Mindfulness surrounding homework is especially important in the context of the past two years. Many students will be struggling with mental health issues that were brought on or worsened by the pandemic , making heavy workloads even harder to balance.

But even if students transition back to the structure of in-person classes, Kardaras suspects students may still struggle after two school years of shifted schedules and disrupted sleeping habits.

'Get organized' ahead of back-to-school

In order to make the transition back to in-person school easier, Kang encourages students to "get good sleep, exercise regularly (and) eat a healthy diet."

To help manage workloads, she suggests students "get organized."

"There's so much mental clutter up there when you're disorganized. ... Sitting down and planning out their study schedules can really help manage their time," she says.

Breaking up assignments can also make things easier to tackle.

"I know that heavy workloads can be stressful, but if you sit down and you break down that studying into smaller chunks, they're much more manageable."

If workloads are still too much, Kang encourages students to advocate for themselves.

More: Some teachers let their students sleep in class. Here's what mental health experts say.

More: Some parents are slipping young kids in for the COVID-19 vaccine, but doctors discourage the move as 'risky'

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A Stanford education researcher found that too much homework can negatively affect kids, especially their lives away from school, where family, friends and activities matter. "Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good," wrote Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of a study published in the Journal of Experimental Education . The researchers used survey data to examine perceptions about homework, student well-being and behavioral engagement in a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities. Along with the survey data, Pope and her colleagues used open-ended answers to explore the students' views on homework. Median household income exceeded $90,000 in these communities, and 93 percent of the students went on to college, either two-year or four-year. Students in these schools average about 3.1 hours of homework each night. "The findings address how current homework practices in privileged, high-performing schools sustain students' advantage in competitive climates yet hinder learning, full engagement and well-being," Pope wrote. Pope and her colleagues found that too much homework can diminish its effectiveness and even be counterproductive. They cite prior research indicating that homework benefits plateau at about two hours per night, and that 90 minutes to two and a half hours is optimal for high school. Their study found that too much homework is associated with: • Greater stress : 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress, according to the survey data. Forty-three percent viewed tests as a primary stressor, while 33 percent put the pressure to get good grades in that category. Less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor. • Reductions in health : In their open-ended answers, many students said their homework load led to sleep deprivation and other health problems. The researchers asked students whether they experienced health issues such as headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems. • Less time for friends, family and extracurricular pursuits : Both the survey data and student responses indicate that spending too much time on homework meant that students were "not meeting their developmental needs or cultivating other critical life skills," according to the researchers. Students were more likely to drop activities, not see friends or family, and not pursue hobbies they enjoy. A balancing act The results offer empirical evidence that many students struggle to find balance between homework, extracurricular activities and social time, the researchers said. Many students felt forced or obligated to choose homework over developing other talents or skills. Also, there was no relationship between the time spent on homework and how much the student enjoyed it. The research quoted students as saying they often do homework they see as "pointless" or "mindless" in order to keep their grades up. "This kind of busy work, by its very nature, discourages learning and instead promotes doing homework simply to get points," said Pope, who is also a co-founder of Challenge Success , a nonprofit organization affiliated with the GSE that conducts research and works with schools and parents to improve students' educational experiences.. Pope said the research calls into question the value of assigning large amounts of homework in high-performing schools. Homework should not be simply assigned as a routine practice, she said. "Rather, any homework assigned should have a purpose and benefit, and it should be designed to cultivate learning and development," wrote Pope. High-performing paradox In places where students attend high-performing schools, too much homework can reduce their time to foster skills in the area of personal responsibility, the researchers concluded. "Young people are spending more time alone," they wrote, "which means less time for family and fewer opportunities to engage in their communities." Student perspectives The researchers say that while their open-ended or "self-reporting" methodology to gauge student concerns about homework may have limitations – some might regard it as an opportunity for "typical adolescent complaining" – it was important to learn firsthand what the students believe. The paper was co-authored by Mollie Galloway from Lewis and Clark College and Jerusha Conner from Villanova University.

Clifton B. Parker is a writer at the Stanford News Service .

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Is Homework a Waste of Students' Time? Study Finds It's the Biggest Cause of Teen Stress

As the debate over the need for homework continues, a new study found that it's the biggest cause of teen stress, leading to sleepless nights and poor academic performance

Julie Mazziotta is the Sports Editor at PEOPLE, covering everything from the NFL to tennis to Simone Biles and Tom Brady. She was previously an Associate Editor for the Health vertical for six years, and prior to joining PEOPLE worked at Health Magazine. When not covering professional athletes, Julie spends her time as a (very) amateur athlete, training for marathons, long bike trips and hikes.

It’s the bane of every teen’s existence. After sitting through hours at school, they leave only to get started on mountains of homework. And educators are mixed on its effectiveness . Some say the practice reinforces what students learned during the day, while others argue that it put unnecessary stress on kids and parents , who are often stuck nagging or helping.

According to a new study, conducted by the Better Sleep Council , that homework stress is the biggest source of frustration for teens, with 74 percent of those surveyed ranking it the highest, above self-esteem (51 percent) parental expectations (45 percent) and bullying (15 percent).

Homework is taking up a large chunk of their time , too — around 15-plus hours a week, with about one-third of teens reporting that it’s closer to 20-plus hours.

The stress and excessive homework adds up to lost sleep, the BSC says. According to the survey, 57 percent of teenagers said that they don’t get enough sleep, with 67 reporting that they get just five to seven hours a night — a far cry from the recommended eight to ten hours. The BSC says that their research shows that when teens feel more stressed, their sleep suffers. They go to sleep later, wake up earlier and have more trouble falling and staying asleep than less-stressed teens.

“We’re finding that teenagers are experiencing this cycle where they sacrifice their sleep to spend extra time on homework, which gives them more stress — but they don’t get better grades,” said Mary Helen Rogers, the vice president of marketing and communications for the BSC.

RELATED VIDEO: To Help Or Not To Help: Moms Talk About Whether Or Not They Help Their Children With Homework

Another interesting finding from this study: students who go to bed earlier and wake up earlier do better academically than those who stay up late, even if those night owls are spending that time doing homework.

To end this cycle of sleep deprivation and stress, the BSC recommends that students try setting a consistent time to go to sleep each night, regardless of leftover homework. And their other sleep tips are good for anyone, regardless of age — keep the temperature between 65 and 67 degrees, turn off the electronic devices before bed, make sure the mattress is comfy and reduce noise with earplugs or sound machines.

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By submitting my email address. i certify that i am 13 years of age or older, agree to recieve marketing email messages from the princeton review, and agree to terms of use., homework wars: high school workloads, student stress, and how parents can help.

Studies of typical homework loads vary : In one, a Stanford researcher found that more than two hours of homework a night may be counterproductive. The research , conducted among students from 10 high-performing high schools in upper-middle-class California communities, found that too much homework resulted in stress, physical health problems and a general lack of balance.

Additionally, the 2014 Brown Center Report on American Education , found that with the exception of nine-year-olds, the amount of homework schools assign has remained relatively unchanged since 1984, meaning even those in charge of the curricula don't see a need for adding more to that workload.

But student experiences don’t always match these results. On our own Student Life in America survey, over 50% of students reported feeling stressed, 25% reported that homework was their biggest source of stress, and on average teens are spending one-third of their study time feeling stressed, anxious, or stuck.

The disparity can be explained in one of the conclusions regarding the Brown Report:

Of the three age groups, 17-year-olds have the most bifurcated distribution of the homework burden. They have the largest percentage of kids with no homework (especially when the homework shirkers are added in) and the largest percentage with more than two hours.

So what does that mean for parents who still endure the homework wars at home?

Read More: Teaching Your Kids How To Deal with School Stress

It means that sometimes kids who are on a rigorous college-prep track, probably are receiving more homework, but the statistics are melding it with the kids who are receiving no homework. And on our survey, 64% of students reported that their parents couldn’t help them with their work. This is where the real homework wars lie—not just the amount, but the ability to successfully complete assignments and feel success.

Parents want to figure out how to help their children manage their homework stress and learn the material.

Our Top 4 Tips for Ending Homework Wars

1. have a routine..

Every parenting advice article you will ever read emphasizes the importance of a routine. There’s a reason for that: it works. A routine helps put order into an often disorderly world. It removes the thinking and arguing and “when should I start?” because that decision has already been made. While routines must be flexible to accommodate soccer practice on Tuesday and volunteer work on Thursday, knowing in general when and where you, or your child, will do homework literally removes half the battle.

2. Have a battle plan.

Overwhelmed students look at a mountain of homework and think “insurmountable.” But parents can look at it with an outsider’s perspective and help them plan. Put in an extra hour Monday when you don’t have soccer. Prepare for the AP Chem test on Friday a little at a time each evening so Thursday doesn’t loom as a scary study night (consistency and repetition will also help lock the information in your brain). Start reading the book for your English report so that it’s underway. Go ahead and write a few sentences, so you don’t have a blank page staring at you. Knowing what the week will look like helps you keep calm and carry on.

3. Don’t be afraid to call in reserves.

You can’t outsource the “battle” but you can outsource the help ! We find that kids just do better having someone other than their parents help them —and sometimes even parents with the best of intentions aren’t equipped to wrestle with complicated physics problem. At The Princeton Review, we specialize in making homework time less stressful. Our tutors are available 24/7 to work one-to-one in an online classroom with a chat feature, interactive whiteboard, and the file sharing tool, where students can share their most challenging assignments.

4. Celebrate victories—and know when to surrender.

Students and parents can review completed assignments together at the end of the night -- acknowledging even small wins helps build a sense of accomplishment. If you’ve been through a particularly tough battle, you’ll also want to reach reach a cease-fire before hitting your bunk. A war ends when one person disengages. At some point, after parents have provided a listening ear, planning, and support, they have to let natural consequences take their course. And taking a step back--and removing any pressure a parent may be inadvertently creating--can be just what’s needed.

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School Stress Takes A Toll On Health, Teens And Parents Say

Patti Neighmond

Colleen Frainey, 16, of Tualatin, Ore., cut back on advanced placement classes in her junior year because the stress was making her physically ill. Toni Greaves for NPR hide caption

Colleen Frainey, 16, of Tualatin, Ore., cut back on advanced placement classes in her junior year because the stress was making her physically ill.

When high school junior Nora Huynh got her report card, she was devastated to see that she didn't get a perfect 4.0.

Nora "had a total meltdown, cried for hours," her mother, Jennie Huynh of Alameda, Calif., says. "I couldn't believe her reaction."

Nora is doing college-level work, her mother says, but many of her friends are taking enough advanced classes to boost their grade-point averages above 4.0. "It breaks my heart to see her upset when she's doing so awesome and going above and beyond."

And the pressure is taking a physical toll, too. At age 16, Nora is tired, is increasingly irritated with her siblings and often suffers headaches, her mother says.

Teens Talk Stress

When NPR asked on Facebook if stress is an issue for teenagers, they spoke loud and clear:

"Academic stress has been a part of my life ever since I can remember," wrote Bretta McCall, 16, of Seattle. "This year I spend about 12 hours a day on schoolwork. I'm home right now because I was feeling so sick from stress I couldn't be at school. So as you can tell, it's a big part of my life!"
"At the time of writing this, my weekend assignments include two papers, a PowerPoint to go with a 10-minute presentation, studying for a test and two quizzes, and an entire chapter (approximately 40 pages) of notes in a college textbook," wrote Connor West of New Jersey.
"It's a problem that's basically brushed off by most people," wrote Kelly Farrell in Delaware. "There's this mentality of, 'You're doing well, so why are you complaining?' " She says she started experiencing symptoms of stress in middle school, and was diagnosed with panic disorder and generalized anxiety disorder in high school.
"Parents are the worst about all of this," writes Colin Hughes of Illinois. "All I hear is, 'Work harder, you're a smart kid, I know you have it in you, and if you want to go to college you need to work harder.' It's a pain."

Parents are right to be worried about stress and their children's health, says Mary Alvord , a clinical psychologist in Maryland and public education coordinator for the American Psychological Association.

"A little stress is a good thing," Alvord says. "It can motivate students to be organized. But too much stress can backfire."

Almost 40 percent of parents say their high-schooler is experiencing a lot of stress from school, according to a new NPR poll conducted with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health. In most cases, that stress is from academics, not social issues or bullying, the poll found. (See the full results here .)

Homework was a leading cause of stress, with 24 percent of parents saying it's an issue.

Teenagers say they're suffering, too. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that nearly half of all teens — 45 percent — said they were stressed by school pressures.

Chronic stress can cause a sense of panic and paralysis, Alvord says. The child feels stuck, which only adds to the feeling of stress.

Parents can help put the child's distress in perspective, particularly when they get into what Alvord calls catastrophic "what if" thinking: "What if I get a bad grade, then what if that means I fail the course, then I'll never get into college."

Then move beyond talking and do something about it.

Colleen pets her horse, Bishop. They had been missing out on rides together because of homework. Toni Greaves for NPR hide caption

Colleen pets her horse, Bishop. They had been missing out on rides together because of homework.

That's what 16-year-old Colleen Frainey of Tualatin, Ore., did. As a sophomore last year, she was taking all advanced courses. The pressure was making her sick. "I didn't feel good, and when I didn't feel good I felt like I couldn't do my work, which would stress me out more," she says.

Mom Abigail Frainey says, "It was more than we could handle as a family."

With encouragement from her parents, Colleen dropped one of her advanced courses. The family's decision generated disbelief from other parents. "Why would I let her take the easy way out?" Abigail Frainey heard.

But she says dialing down on academics was absolutely the right decision for her child. Colleen no longer suffers headaches or stomachaches. She's still in honors courses, but the workload this year is manageable.

Even better, Colleen now has time to do things she never would have considered last year, like going out to dinner with the family on a weeknight, or going to the barn to ride her horse, Bishop.

Psychologist Alvord says a balanced life should be the goal for all families. If a child is having trouble getting things done, parents can help plan the week, deciding what's important and what's optional. "Just basic time management — that will help reduce the stress."

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Health Hazards of Homework

March 18, 2014 | Julie Greicius Pediatrics .

A new study by the Stanford Graduate School of Education and colleagues found that students in high-performing schools who did excessive hours of homework “experienced greater behavioral engagement in school but also more academic stress, physical health problems, and lack of balance in their lives.”

Those health problems ranged from stress, headaches, exhaustion, sleep deprivation, weight loss and stomach problems, to psycho-social effects like dropping activities, not seeing friends or family, and not pursuing hobbies they enjoy.

In the Stanford Report story about the research, Denise Pope , a senior lecturer at the Stanford Graduate School of Education and a co-author of the study published in the Journal of Experimental Education , says, “Our findings on the effects of homework challenge the traditional assumption that homework is inherently good.”

The study was based on survey data from a sample of 4,317 students from 10 high-performing high schools in California communities in which median household income exceeded $90,000. Of the students surveyed, homework volume averaged about 3.1 hours each night.

“It is time to re-evaluate how the school environment is preparing our high school student for today’s workplace,” says Neville Golden, MD , chief of adolescent medicine at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health and a professor at the School of Medicine. “This landmark study shows that excessive homework is counterproductive, leading to sleep deprivation, school stress and other health problems. Parents can best support their children in these demanding academic environments by advocating for them through direct communication with teachers and school administrators about homework load.”

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How to Reduce Homework Stress

If homework is a source of frustration and stress in your home, it doesn’t have to be that way! Read on to learn effective strategies to reduce your child’s homework stress.

Author Katie Wickliff

Published March 2024

If homework is a source of frustration and stress in your home, it doesn’t have to be that way! Read on to learn effective strategies to reduce your child’s homework stress.

Key takeaways
Homework stress can be a significant problem for children and their families
An appropriate amount of quality homework can be beneficial for students
Parents can help reduce homework stress in several key ways

Table of contents

Homework stress effects
How to reduce homework stress

As a parent who has felt the frustration of watching my child be reduced to tears because of her homework each night, I’ve often wondered: do these math worksheets and reading trackers really make a difference to a child’s academic success? Or does homework cause stress without having a positive impact on learning?

If your child experiences a significant amount of homework stress, you may feel at a loss to help. However, there are several things you can do at home to minimize the negative effects of this stress on your child–and you! We’ve put together a list of research-based practices that can help your child better handle their homework load.

The Effects of Homework Stress on Students

Does homework cause stress? Short answer: Yes. It’s been well documented that too much homework can cause stress and anxiety for students–and their parents. However, do the benefits of homework outweigh the costs? Is homework “worth” the frustration and exhaustion that our children experience?

Findings on the benefits of homework at the elementary school level are mixed, with studies showing that homework appears to have more positive effects under certain conditions for certain groups of students.

After examining decades of studies on the relationship between homework and academic achievement, leading homework researcher Harris M. Cooper has proposed the “10-minute rule,” suggesting that homework be limited to 10 minutes per grade level. For example, children in 3rd grade should do no more than 30 minutes of homework daily, while a 1st grader should do no more than 10 minutes of homework. The National Parent Teacher Association and the National Education Association both endorse this guideline as a general rule of thumb.

Because of these research findings, Doodle believes that an appropriate amount of quality homework can help students feel more positive about learning and can provide parents with a critical connection to their child’s school experience . But to keep learning positive, we need to reduce the amount of stress both students and parents feel about homework.

1. Routine, Routine, Routine

Creating an after-school routine and sticking to it helps children feel organized, but with sports, tutoring, or music lessons, many children have varying weekday schedules. As a former classroom teacher and private tutor, I suggest that families post a weekly schedule somewhere visible and communicate that schedule with their child.

At our house, we have a dry-erase calendar posted on the wall. Every Sunday evening, I write both of my children’s schedules for the following week–including homework time. We go through the calendar together, and they reference it often throughout the week. I can tell both my son and daughter feel better when they know when they’ll get their homework done.

2. Create a Homework Space

Ideally, your child should have a dedicated homework space. It doesn’t matter if that space is a desk, a dining room table, or a kitchen countertop. What does matter is that the homework area is tidy, because an unorganized homework area is very distracting.

3. Start Homework Early

Encourage your child to start their homework as early as possible. Help them review their assignments, make a plan for what needs to be completed, and then dive in. Naturally, children are more tired later in the evening which can lead to more stress.

4. Encourage Breaks

If you can see your child becoming frustrated or overwhelmed by their homework, encourage them to take a breather and come back to it later. As a teacher and tutor, I called this a “brain break” and believe these breaks are essential. Taking a short break will give your child a chance to step away from a frustrating problem or assignment.

5. It’s Okay to Ask for Help

Sometimes, homework can become just too stressful and overwhelming. In that case, it really is okay to stop. Children can learn to advocate for themselves by making a list of questions for their teacher and asking for help the next day. Depending on their age, you might need to help role-play how to approach their teacher with their frustrations.

Additionally, parents should never feel afraid to contact their child’s teacher to talk about homework issues. When I was teaching elementary school, I always wanted parents to feel comfortable reaching out about any issues, including homework stress.

6. Get Plenty of Rest

Sleep is critical to a child’s overall wellbeing , which includes their academic performance. Tired kids can’t concentrate as well, which can lead to feeling more overwhelmed about homework assignments. According to the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, kids aged 6-12 should get at least 9 hours of sleep each night.

7. Consider a Homework Group

Organizing a homework group a few times a week is another way for your child to view homework more positively. Working as a group encourages collaboration, while discussions can solidify concepts learned in class.

8. Encourage Positivity

No matter what your school experience was like, it’s important to model a growth mindset for your child. A growth mindset is the belief that your abilities can develop and improve over time. So if your child says something like “ I can’t do this! ” first acknowledge their frustration. Then, encourage them to say, “ I may not understand this yet, but I will figure it out. ” Speaking positively about tough experiences takes practice, but it will go a long way in reducing homework stress for your child.

9. Develop Skills With Fun Games

Feeling stressed about homework is no fun. Completing worksheets and memorizing facts is necessary, but playing games is a great way to inject some excitement into learning. Doodle’s interactive math app is filled with interactive exercises, engaging math games, and unique rewards that help kids develop their skills while having fun.

Lower Math Anxiety with DoodleMath

Does your child struggle with math anxiety? DoodleMath is an award-winning math app f illed with fun, interactive math questions aligned to state standards. Doodle creates a unique work program tailored to each child’s skill level to boost confidence and reduce math anxiety. Try it free today!

FAQs About Homework Stress

Many studies have shown that homework and stress often go hand-in-hand, often because many children feel pressure to perform perfectly or they have trouble managing their emotions–they get overwhelmed or flooded easily.

You can help your child reduce homework stress in several ways, including by establishing a routine, creating a homework space, encouraging breaks, and making homework fun with online games or math apps.

Lesson credits

Katie Wickliff

Katie holds a master’s degree in Education from the University of Colorado and a bachelor’s degree in both Journalism and English from The University of Iowa. She has over 15 years of education experience as a K-12 classroom teacher and Orton-Gillingham certified tutor. Most importantly, Katie is the mother of two elementary students, ages 8 and 11. She is passionate about math education and firmly believes that the right tools and support will help every student reach their full potential.

Parents, sign up for a DoodleMath subscription and see your child become a math wizard!

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The Truth About Homework Stress: What Parents & Students Need to Know

Fact Checked

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published on:

December 21, 2023

Updated on:

January 9, 2024

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Homework is generally given out to ensure that students take time to review and remember the days lessons. It can help improve on a student’s general performance and enhance traits like self-discipline and independent problem solving.

Parents are able to see what their children are doing in school, while also helping teachers determine how well the lesson material is being learned. Homework is quite beneficial when used the right way and can improve student performance.

This well intentioned practice can turn sour if it’s not handled the right way. Studies show that if a student is inundated with too much homework, not only do they get lower scores, but they are more likely to get stressed.

The age at which homework stress is affecting students is getting lower, some even as low as kindergarten. Makes you wonder what could a five year old possibly need to review as homework?

One of the speculated reasons for this stress is that the complexity of what a student is expected to learn is increasing, while the breaks for working out excess energy are reduced. Students are getting significantly more homework than recommended by the education leaders, some even nearly three times more.

To make matters worse, teachers may give homework that is both time consuming and will keep students busy while being totally non-productive.

Remedial work like telling students to copy notes word for word from their text books will do nothing to improve their grades or help them progress. It just adds unnecessary stress.

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Effects of homework stress at home

Both parents and students tend to get stressed out at the beginning of a new school year due to the impending arrival of homework.

Nightly battles centered on finishing assignments are a household routine in houses with students.

Research has found that too much homework can negatively affect children. In creating a lack of balance between play time and time spent doing homework, a child can get headaches, sleep deprivation or even ulcers.

And homework stress doesn’t just impact grade schoolers. College students are also affected, and the stress is affecting their academic performance.

Even the parent’s confidence in their abilities to help their children with homework suffers due increasing stress levels in the household.

Fights and conflict over homework are more likely in families where parents do not have at least a college degree. When the child needs assistance, they have to turn to their older siblings who might already be bombarded with their own homework.

Parents who have a college degree feel more confident in approaching the school and discussing the appropriate amount of school work.

“It seems that homework being assigned discriminates against parents who don’t have college degree, parents who have English as their second language and against parents who are poor.” Said Stephanie Donaldson Pressman, the contributing editor of the study and clinical director of the New England Center for Pediatric Psychology.

With all the stress associated with homework, it’s not surprising that some parents have opted not to let their children do homework. Parents that have instituted a no-homework policy have stated that it has taken a lot of the stress out of their evenings.

The recommended amount homework

The standard endorsed by the National Education Association is called the “10 minute rule”; 10 minutes per grade level per night. This recommendation was made after a number of studies were done on the effects of too much homework on families.

The 10 minute rule basically means 10 minutes of homework in the first grade, 20 minute for the second grade all the way up to 120 minutes for senior year in high school. Note that no homework is endorsed in classes under the first grade.

Parents reported first graders were spending around half an hour on homework each night, and kindergarteners spent 25 minutes a night on assignments according to a study carried out by Brown University.

Making a five year old sit still for half an hour is very difficult as they are at the age where they just want to move around and play.

A child who is exposed to 4-5 hours of homework after school is less likely to find the time to go out and play with their friends, which leads to accumulation of stress energy in the body.

Their social life also suffers because between the time spent at school and doing homework, a child will hardly have the time to pursue hobbies. They may also develop a negative attitude towards learning.

The research highlighted that 56% of students consider homework a primary source of stress.

And if you’re curious how the U.S stacks up against other countries in regards to how much time children spend on homework, it’s pretty high on the list .

Signs to look out for on a student that has homework stress

Since not every student is affected by homework stress in the same way, it’s important to be aware of some of the signs your child might be mentally drained from too much homework.

Here are some common signs of homework stress:

Sleep disturbances
Frequent stomachaches and headaches
Decreased appetite or changed eating habits
New or recurring fears
Not able to relax
Regressing to behavior they had when younger
Bursts of anger crying or whining
Becoming withdrawn while others may become clingy
Drastic changes in academic performance
Having trouble concentrating or completing homework
Constantly complains about their ability to do homework

If you’re a parent and notice any of these signs in your child, step in to find out what’s going on and if homework is the source of their stress.

If you’re a student, pay attention if you start experiencing any of these symptoms as a result of your homework load. Don’t be afraid to ask your teacher or parents for help if the stress of homework becomes too much for you.

What parents do wrong when it comes to homework stress

Most parents push their children to do more and be more, without considering the damage being done by this kind of pressure.

Some think that homework brought home is always something the children can deal with on their own. If the child cannot handle their homework then these parents get angry and make the child feel stupid.

This may lead to more arguing and increased dislike of homework in the household. Ultimately the child develops an even worse attitude towards homework.

Another common mistake parents make is never questioning the amount of homework their children get, or how much time they spend on it. It’s easy to just assume whatever the teacher assigned is adequate, but as we mentioned earlier, that’s not always the case.

Be proactive and involved with your child’s homework. If you notice they’re spending hours every night on homework, ask them about it. Just because they don’t complain doesn’t mean there isn’t a problem.

How can parents help?

While every parent wants their child to become successful and achieve the very best, it’s important to pull back on the mounting pressure and remember that they’re still just kids. They need time out to release their stress and connect with other children.
Many children may be afraid to admit that they’re overwhelmed by homework because they might be misconstrued as failures. The best thing a parent can do is make home a safe place for children to express themselves freely. You can do this by lending a listening ear and not judging your kids.
Parents can also take the initiative to let the school know that they’re unhappy with the amount of homework being given. Even if you don’t feel comfortable complaining, you can approach the school through the parent-teacher association available and request your representative to plead your case.
It may not be all the subjects that are causing your child to get stressed. Parents should find out if there is a specific subject of homework that is causing stress. You could also consult with other parents to see what they can do to fix the situation. It may be the amount or the content that causes stress, so the first step is identifying the problem.
Work with your child to create a schedule for getting homework done on time. You can set a specific period of time for homework, and schedule time for other activities too. Strike a balance between work and play.
Understanding that your child is stressed about homework doesn’t mean you have to allow them not to try. Let them sit down and work on it as much as they’re able to, and recruit help from the older siblings or a neighbor if possible.
Check out these resources to help your child with their homework .

The main idea here is to not abolish homework completely, but to review the amount and quality of homework being given out. Stress, depression and lower grades are the last things parents want for their children.

The schools and parents need to work together to find a solution to this obvious problem.

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About the author

The New York Times

Motherlode | when homework stresses parents as well as students, when homework stresses parents as well as students.

Educators and parents have long been concerned about students stressed by homework loads , but a small research study asked questions recently about homework and anxiety of a different group: parents. The results were unsurprising. While we may have already learned long division and let the Magna Carta fade into memory, parents report that their children’s homework causes family stress and tension — particularly when additional factors surrounding the homework come into play.

The researchers, from Brown University, found that stress and tension for families (as reported by the parents) increased most when parents perceived themselves as unable to help with the homework, when the child disliked doing the homework and when the homework caused arguments, either between the child and adults or among the adults in the household.

The number of parents involved in the research (1,173 parents, both English and Spanish-speaking, who visited one of 27 pediatric practices in the greater Providence area of Rhode Island) makes it more of a guide for further study than a basis for conclusions, but the idea that homework can cause significant family stress is hard to seriously debate. Families across income and education levels may struggle with homework for different reasons and in different ways, but “it’s an equal opportunity problem,” says Stephanie Donaldson-Pressman , a contributing editor to the research study and co-author of “ The Learning Habit .”

“Parents may find it hard to evaluate the homework,” she says. “They think, if this is coming home, my child should be able to do it. If the child can’t, and especially if they feel like they can’t help, they may get angry with the child, and the child feels stupid.” That’s a scenario that is likely to lead to more arguments, and an increased dislike of the work on the part of the child.

The researchers also found that parents of students in kindergarten and first grade reported that the children spent significantly more time on homework than recommended. Many schools and organizations, including the National Education Association and the Great Schools blog , will suggest following the “10-minute rule” for how long children should spend on school work outside of school hours: 10 minutes per grade starting in first grade, and most likely more in high school. Instead, parents described their first graders and kindergartners working, on average, for 25 to 30 minutes a night. That is consistent with other research , which has shown an increase in the amount of time spent on homework in lower grades from 1981 to 2003.

“This study highlights the real discrepancy between intent and what’s actually happening,” Ms. Donaldson-Pressman said, speaking of both the time spent and the family tensions parents describe. “When people talk about the homework, they’re too often talking about the work itself. They should be talking about the load — how long it takes. You can have three problems on one page that look easy, but aren’t.”

The homework a child is struggling with may not be developmentally appropriate for every child in a grade, she suggests, noting that academic expectations for young children have increased in recent years . Less-educated or Spanish-speaking parents may find it harder to evaluate or challenge the homework itself, or to say they think it is simply too much. “When the load is too much, it has a tremendous impact on family stress and the general tenor of the evening. It ruins your family time and kids view homework as a punishment,” she said.

At our house, homework has just begun; we are in the opposite of the honeymoon period, when both skills and tolerance are rusty and complaints and stress are high. If the two hours my fifth-grade math student spent on homework last night turn out the be the norm once he is used to the work and the teacher has had a chance to hear from the students, we’ll speak up.

We should, Ms. Donaldson-Pressman says. “Middle-class parents can solve the problem for their own kids,” she says. “They can make sure their child is going to all the right tutors, or get help, but most people can’t.” Instead of accepting that at home we become teachers and homework monitors (or even taking classes in how to help your child with his math ), parents should let the school know that they’re unhappy with the situation, both to encourage others to speak up and to speak on behalf of parents who don’t feel comfortable complaining.

“Home should be a safe place for students,” she says. “A child goes to school all day and they’re under stress. If they come home and it’s more of the same, that’s not good for anyone.”

Read more about homework on Motherlode: Homework and Consequences ; The Mechanics of Homework ; That’s Your Child’s Homework Project, Not Yours and Homework’s Emotional Toll on Students and Families.

What's Next

Homework Overload: Unveiling the Stressful Side of Academic Responsibilities

2023-05-08 | By Orcam Staff

From Struggles to Success: Help Your Child Read and Learn Better

Does homework cause stress?

In the fast-paced world of education, where time management, educational psychology, study habits, student mental health, and academic performance are constantly intertwined, one question lingers in the minds of parents, students, and educators alike: does homework cause stress? The pressures of academic life, the mounting workload, and the relentless expectations can create an overwhelming atmosphere that affects students' well-being and ability to thrive. It's no wonder that phrases like "how to not stress about school," "academic pressure," "homework stress," and "homework causes stress" are common concerns voiced by students who find themselves juggling countless assignments.

Homework anxiety can loom large, leaving students feeling as though they have so much homework they want to cry. But what lies at the core of this stress? Why is homework stressful, and how can it cause such anxiety? In this comprehensive exploration, we delve into the depths of these questions, drawing from educational psychology, research on student mental health, and practical insights to shed light on the complex relationship between homework and stress.

Our goal is to provide you with valuable guidance and effective strategies to not only alleviate homework-related stress but also empower your child to navigate their academic journey with resilience, confidence, and a sense of balance. Join us as we embark on a transformative exploration of how to help your child make homework less stressful and create a positive learning environment that fosters their growth and well-being.

Unraveling the Link Between Homework and Stress

The feeling of being overwhelmed by an immense workload is something many students can relate to. It's not uncommon to hear phrases like "I have so much homework I want to cry" echoing in the hallways of schools. This emotional response is a clear indicator of the mounting stress and pressure that homework can impose on students. It's important to recognize the weight of this sentiment and address it with compassion and understanding.

In this article, we aim to provide practical strategies and insights to help students manage their homework load effectively, restore a sense of control, and find a healthy balance between academic responsibilities and personal well-being. Remember, you are not alone in this journey, and together, we can alleviate the overwhelming burden and create a more positive and manageable approach to homework.

The question of how homework can cause stress is a crucial one to address, as it lies at the heart of understanding the challenges that students face. Homework, when piled up excessively or accompanied by unrealistic expectations, can create a tremendous burden on students. The pressure to complete assignments within strict deadlines, manage multiple subjects simultaneously, and maintain high academic standards can lead to heightened levels of stress and anxiety.

It's essential to explore the underlying factors that contribute to this stress and uncover effective strategies to mitigate its impact. By equipping ourselves with this knowledge, we can empower our children to approach their homework with a sense of balance, confidence, and overall well-being.

Common Issues Children Face When Reading and Learning

When it comes to reading and learning, children may face several challenges that can affect their progress and overall success. Here are some common issues:

Distracted by Background Noise

Children can find it challenging to focus on reading and learning when there is background noise. This noise can come from different sources, such as music, television, or siblings playing nearby. It can cause a lack of concentration, leading to poor reading accuracy and fluency.

Mispronunciation Issues

Mispronunciation issues can arise due to different reasons, such as a lack of familiarity with the vocabulary, poor phonics skills, or speech difficulties. When children mispronounce words, it can lead to a lack of confidence and frustration, affecting their reading comprehension and enjoyment of the activity.

The Impact of These Issues on a Child's Confidence and Success

These issues can impact a child's confidence and success in different ways. When children struggle with reading accuracy and fluency, it can affect their confidence and motivation to read. Mispronunciation issues can lead to frustration and avoidance of reading. Ultimately, these challenges can hinder a child's progress in their academic and personal life.

Practical Solutions to Help Children Read and Learn Better

Have someone read out loud to them.

Children who struggle with reading can benefit from having someone read out loud to them. This can be a parent, older sibling, or even an audiobook. Listening to someone read can help children develop their comprehension skills and build their vocabulary.

Go over reading accuracy and fluency

Reading accuracy and fluency are important components of reading proficiency. Parents can help their child improve these skills by practicing reading aloud and providing feedback on areas for improvement. This can be done by having the child read a passage aloud and then going over any mispronunciations or stumbling points.

Provide feedback on their reading comprehension

Reading comprehension is another key component of reading proficiency. Parents can help their child develop this skill by asking them questions about what they have read and providing feedback on their answers. This can help children better understand the content they are reading and build their critical thinking skills.

Practical Tips and Strategies for Parents

Other strategies to support children's reading and learning include setting aside dedicated time for reading each day, creating a comfortable and distraction-free reading environment, providing access to a variety of reading materials, and modeling a love for reading and learning. Parents can also work with teachers and educational professionals to identify and address any learning difficulties or challenges their child may be facing.

Creating a regular reading routine

Creating a regular reading routine is an essential aspect of helping your child to read and learn better. By establishing a consistent schedule for reading, you can help your child develop strong reading habits and improve their overall literacy skills. It's important to set aside a specific time each day for reading, whether it's before bed or in the morning before school. Encourage your child to choose books that interest them and make reading a fun and enjoyable experience. Regular reading can not only improve your child's academic performance but can also enhance their creativity, critical thinking, and communication skills.

Reading Aloud with Your Child

Reading aloud to your child can help improve their reading skills and instill a love of reading. Make it a daily habit, and choose books that interest your child. Encourage them to ask questions and engage with the story.

Making Reading Fun and Enjoyable

Make reading a fun and enjoyable experience for your child. Allow them to choose books that interest them, and create a cozy and inviting reading space. Incorporate games, puzzles, and other activities that relate to the book.

Fostering a Love of Reading

Encourage your child's love of reading by making it a priority in your home. Model good reading habits, discuss books together, and provide access to a variety of reading materials. Celebrate their progress and achievements.

Providing Positive Reinforcement and Encouragement

Positive reinforcement and encouragement can go a long way in helping your child develop their reading and learning skills. Celebrate their successes, no matter how small, and provide constructive feedback to help them improve.

Breaking Down Tasks into Smaller, Manageable Steps

If your child is struggling with a particular reading or learning task, break it down into smaller, more manageable steps. This can help reduce frustration and increase motivation.

Using Technology and Educational Resources

Utilize technology and educational resources to help support your child's learning journey. There are many apps, websites, and online resources available that can help improve reading skills, provide educational games and activities, and support different learning styles.

Understanding Your Child's Learning Style

Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning styles.

People learn in different ways, and understanding your child's learning style can help you tailor your approach to help them read and learn better. The three main learning styles are visual, auditory, and kinesthetic.

Visual learners learn best through visual aids, such as pictures, diagrams, and videos. They may struggle with reading long blocks of text without any visual cues.

Auditory learners learn best through hearing information. They may enjoy reading out loud or listening to audiobooks, and may struggle with visual-heavy learning materials.

Kinesthetic learners learn best through hands-on experiences and movement. They may benefit from activities that involve movement or manipulatives, such as building blocks or puzzles.

How to Identify Your Child's Learning Style

Observing your child's behavior can give you clues about their learning style. For example, if your child enjoys drawing and coloring, they may be a visual learner. If they enjoy singing or listening to music, they may be an auditory learner. If they enjoy physical activities and games, they may be a kinesthetic learner.

Another way to identify your child's learning style is to have them take a learning style assessment test, which can be found online.

Strategies to Support Your Child's Learning Style

Once you have identified your child's learning style, you can use this knowledge to support their learning in various ways. Here are some strategies for each learning style:

Visual learners:

Use visual aids such as diagrams, videos, and pictures to help them learn. Encourage them to take notes and highlight important information.

Auditory learners:

Read out loud to them or have them listen to audiobooks. Encourage them to read out loud or record themselves reading to help reinforce information.

Kinesthetic learners:

Use hands-on activities and games to help them learn. Encourage them to take frequent breaks and move around while studying.

By understanding and supporting your child's learning style, you can help them to read and learn better and ultimately reach their full potential.

Overcoming Barriers to Success

Reading and learning difficulties can be caused by a variety of factors, including learning disabilities, emotional or behavioral issues, and environmental factors. It's important for parents and caregivers to recognize and address these barriers in order to help their child succeed academically.

Addressing Learning Disabilities

If your child is struggling with reading and learning despite consistent effort and support, it may be a sign of a learning disability. Common learning disabilities that can impact reading and learning include dyslexia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and auditory processing disorder.

If you suspect your child may have a learning disability, it's important to seek a professional evaluation from a qualified healthcare professional or educational specialist. An evaluation can help identify any underlying issues and provide recommendations for appropriate interventions and support.

Working with Teachers and Educators

Collaborating with your child's teachers and educators can also be an effective way to support their learning and address any difficulties they may be facing. Teachers can provide valuable insights into your child's progress, strengths, and areas for improvement, and can also suggest resources and strategies to help your child succeed.

Make an effort to stay in regular communication with your child's teachers, attend parent-teacher conferences, and ask for updates on their progress. Working together with teachers and educators can help ensure that your child is receiving the support and resources they need to be successful.

Finding Additional Resources and Support

In addition to working with teachers and educators, there are a variety of resources and support services available to help children overcome reading and learning difficulties. These may include tutoring services, after-school programs, educational software and apps, and support groups for children and families.

Do some research to identify resources and services that may be helpful for your child, and don't be afraid to reach out for support. Many schools and community organizations offer free or low-cost resources and services for families.

By addressing potential barriers to success and working together with teachers and educators, parents and caregivers can help their child overcome reading and learning difficulties and achieve their full potential.

Empowering your child to take ownership of their learning journey

One of the most effective ways to help your child become a successful reader and learner is to empower them to take ownership of their learning journey. Encourage your child to set goals and take responsibility for their progress by regularly checking in with them about their academic performance. Teach them to track their progress, so they can see how far they've come and celebrate their successes. You can also involve them in the decision-making process by letting them choose the books they want to read or the topics they want to learn about. This can help them feel more engaged and motivated in their learning. Other ways to empower your child include:

Encouraging them to ask questions and seek answers

Giving them choices and opportunities to make decisions

Providing a supportive and encouraging environment

Praising their efforts and achievements, no matter how small

Encouraging them to learn from their mistakes and failures

Helping them develop problem-solving skills and critical thinking

Celebrating their progress and achievements.

"The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you'll go." - Dr. Seuss

"once you learn to read, you will be forever free." - frederick douglass, "books are a uniquely portable magic." - stephen king, "the beautiful thing about learning is that no one can take it away from you." - b.b. king, "children are made readers on the laps of their parents." - emilie buchwald.

In this article, we explored common issues that children face when reading and learning, and provided practical solutions to help them overcome these challenges and be their best selves. We discussed the importance of understanding your child's learning style, and provided tips and strategies for parents to support their child's reading and learning journey. We also covered how to overcome barriers to success, such as addressing learning disabilities and working with teachers and educators.

It's important to remember that reading and learning play a crucial role in a child's future success, and as parents, it's our responsibility to support and encourage their academic growth. By taking an active role in your child's learning journey and utilizing the tips and strategies provided in this article, you can help your child become a confident and successful reader and learner.

Encourage your child to reach their full potential and take the next step in their reading and learning journey by checking out OrCam Learn. With its cutting-edge technology and personalized approach, OrCam Learn can help your child overcome reading difficulties and develop essential skills that will set them up for lifelong success. Learn more and give your child the gift of learning with OrCam Learn.

We encourage parents to seek out additional resources and support when needed, whether it's through their child's school, community resources, or educational programs. With the right support and guidance, every child can reach their full potential.

Key Takeaways

Reading and learning are crucial for a child's future success and well-being.

Common issues children face when reading and learning include distractions, mispronunciation, and a lack of confidence.

Practical solutions to help children read and learn better include reading aloud with them, focusing on accuracy and fluency, providing feedback on comprehension, and supporting their learning style.

Parents can support their child's reading and learning by making it fun and enjoyable, fostering a love of reading, and providing positive reinforcement and encouragement.

Overcoming barriers to success may involve addressing learning disabilities, working with educators, and seeking out additional resources and support.

By taking an active role in their child's learning journey and providing tailored support, parents can help their child reach their full potential and become their best selves.

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Does Homework Cause Stress? Exploring the Impact on Students’ Mental Health

How much homework is too much?

Homework has become a matter of concern for educators, parents, and researchers due to its potential effects on students’ stress levels. It’s no secret students often find themselves grappling with high levels of stress and anxiety throughout their academic careers, so understanding the extent to which homework affects those stress levels is important.

By delving into the latest research and understanding the underlying factors at play, we hope to curate insights for educators, parents, and students who are wondering is homework causing stress in their lives?

The Link Between Homework and Stress: What the Research Says

Over the years, numerous studies investigated the relationship between homework and stress levels in students.

One study published in the Journal of Experimental Education found that students who reported spending more than two hours per night on homework experienced higher stress levels and physical health issues . Those same students reported over three hours of homework a night on average.

This study, conducted by Stanford lecturer Denise Pope, has been heavily cited throughout the years, with WebMD eproducing the below video on the topic– part of their special report series on teens and stress :

Additional studies published by Sleep Health Journal found that long hours on homework on may be a risk factor for depression while also suggesting that reducing workload outside of class may benefit sleep and mental fitness .

Lastly, a study presented by Frontiers in Psychology highlighted significant health implications for high school students facing chronic stress, including emotional exhaustion and alcohol and drug use.

Homework’s Potential Impact on Mental Health and Well-being

Homework-induced stress on students can involve both psychological and physiological side effects.

1. Potential Psychological Effects of Homework-Induced Stress:

• Anxiety: The pressure to perform academically and meet homework expectations can lead to heightened levels of anxiety in students. Constant worry about completing assignments on time and achieving high grades can be overwhelming.

• Sleep Disturbances : Homework-related stress can disrupt students’ sleep patterns, leading to sleep anxiety or sleep deprivation, both of which can negatively impact cognitive function and emotional regulation.

• Reduced Motivation: Excessive homework demands could drain students’ motivation, causing them to feel fatigued and disengaged from their studies. Reduced motivation may lead to a lack of interest in learning, hindering overall academic performance.

2. Potential Physical Effects of Homework-Induced Stress:

• Impaired Immune Function: Prolonged stress could weaken the immune system, making students more susceptible to illnesses and infections.

• Disrupted Hormonal Balance : The body’s stress response triggers the release of hormones like cortisol, which, when chronically elevated due to stress, can disrupt the delicate hormonal balance and lead to various health issues.

• Gastrointestinal Disturbances: Stress has been known to affect the gastrointestinal system, leading to symptoms such as stomachaches, nausea, and other digestive problems.

• Cardiovascular Impact: The increased heart rate and elevated blood pressure associated with stress can strain the cardiovascular system, potentially increasing the risk of heart-related issues in the long run.

• Brain impact: Prolonged exposure to stress hormones may impact the brain’s functioning , affecting memory, concentration, and cognitive abilities.

The Benefits of Homework

It’s important to note that homework also offers many benefits that contribute to students’ academic growth and development, such as:

• Development of Time Management Skills: Completing homework within specified deadlines encourages students to manage their time efficiently. This valuable skill extends beyond academics and becomes essential in various aspects of life.

• Preparation for Future Challenges : Homework helps prepare students for future academic challenges and responsibilities. It fosters a sense of discipline and responsibility, qualities that are crucial for success in higher education and professional life.

• Enhanced Problem-Solving Abilities: Homework often presents students with challenging problems to solve. Tackling these problems independently nurtures critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

While homework can foster discipline, time management, and self-directed learning, the middle ground may be to strike a balance that promotes both academic growth and mental well-being .

How Much Homework Should Teachers Assign?

As a general guideline, educators suggest assigning a workload that allows students to grasp concepts effectively without overwhelming them . Quality over quantity is key, ensuring that homework assignments are purposeful, relevant, and targeted towards specific objectives.

Advice for Students: How to balance Homework and Well-being

Finding a balance between academic responsibilities and well-being is crucial for students. Here are some practical tips and techniques to help manage homework-related stress and foster a healthier approach to learning:

• Effective Time Management : Encourage students to create a structured study schedule that allocates sufficient time for homework, breaks, and other activities. Prioritizing tasks and setting realistic goals can prevent last-minute rushes and reduce the feeling of being overwhelmed.

• Break Tasks into Smaller Chunks : Large assignments can be daunting and may contribute to stress. Students should break such tasks into smaller, manageable parts. This approach not only makes the workload seem less intimidating but also provides a sense of accomplishment as each section is completed.

• Find a Distraction-Free Zone : Establish a designated study area that is free from distractions like smartphones, television, or social media. This setting will improve focus and productivity, reducing time needed to complete homework.

• Be Active : Regular exercise is known to reduce stress and enhance mood. Encourage students to incorporate physical activity into their daily routine, whether it’s going for a walk, playing a sport, or doing yoga.

• Practice Mindfulness and Relaxation Techniques : Encourage students to engage in mindfulness practices, such as deep breathing exercises or meditation, to alleviate stress and improve concentration. Taking short breaks to relax and clear the mind can enhance overall well-being and cognitive performance.

• Seek Support : Teachers, parents, and school counselors play an essential role in supporting students. Create an open and supportive environment where students feel comfortable expressing their concerns and seeking help when needed.

How Healium is Helping in Schools

Stress is caused by so many factors and not just the amount of work students are taking home. Our company created a virtual reality stress management solution… a mental fitness tool called “Healium” that’s teaching students how to learn to self-regulate their stress and downshift in a drugless way. Schools implementing Healium have seen improvements from supporting dysregulated students and ADHD challenges to empowering students with body awareness and learning to self-regulate stress . Here’s one of their stories.

By providing students with the tools they need to self-manage stress and anxiety, we represent a forward-looking approach to education that prioritizes the holistic development of every student.

To learn more about how Healium works, watch the video below.

About the Author

Sarah Hill , a former interactive TV news journalist at NBC, ABC, and CBS affiliates in Missouri, gained recognition for pioneering interactive news broadcasting using Google Hangouts. She is now the CEO of Healium, the world’s first biometrically powered immersive media channel, helping those with stress, anxiety, insomnia, and other struggles through biofeedback storytelling. With patents, clinical validation, and over seven million views, she has reshaped the landscape of immersive media.

Knight Life

A source of stress: why homework needs to go away

A+source+of+stress%3A+why+homework+needs+to+go+away

Hank Perkins , Staff Writer December 17, 2021

When Owen Davis goes home after a long day of school at Loy Norrix and KAMSC, all he wants to do is relax and spend time with friends and family, but he realizes he has loads of homework to complete for the next day. Davis is in difficult classes, including Geology, AP Statistics, and Advanced Computer Science, which all give him a lot of homework.

Homework is a burden for students, as they usually have substantial amounts of homework every day after school where they do not have a sufficient amount of time to complete it due to other priorities they have, such as extracurriculars and family obligations. Homework is supposed to be beneficial for students, yet it is the complete opposite as all it does is increase student’s levels of stress dramatically and makes their life harder.

According to When Homework Causes Stress , “In 2013, research conducted by Stanford University demonstrated that students from high-achieving communities experience stress, physical health problems, an imbalance in their lives, and alienation from society as a result of spending too much time on homework. According to the survey data, 56 percent of the students considered homework a primary source of stress. The remaining students viewed tests and the pressure to get good grades as the primary stressors. Notably, less than 1 percent of the students said homework was not a stressor.”

Many students at Loy Norrix feel tremendous stress due to the large amount of homework they get every night as they would like to relax after a long day at school, yet they need to continue their diligent studies at home.

From a survey of 124 students, about 100 agreed that homework is unnecessary and students feel overwhelmed from it due to their extracurriculars outside of school.

A majority of students claim to spend 2+ hours on doing homework every night.

One third of students surveyed are in AP classes or are in KAMSC and claim these types of classes assign them a lot of homework, causing them stress.

Students in regular classes claim to have less homework than those in honors and AP classes, yet these students in regular classes still believe their homework is unnecessary.

Senior Ari’el Abbott who is taking AP classes at Loy Norrix mentioned her disapproval of homework’s effects on her mental strength.

“ Sometimes homework goes to the point where you are doing so much it’s harder to retain what you are learning compared to what is needed to know,” Abbott said. “I can be working for 4 hours in a class, and by the time I finish with the one class, I am too tired to even attempt to do another class which could cause one of two things: me working hard overdoing myself and possibly getting a bad grade on the assignments or mentally exhausting myself and then becoming behind in multiple classes. Either way the assignments are taking too long to complete which causes me to overwork myself.”

According to Kalamazoo Public Schools sets districtwide homework policy , the KPS District suggests that teachers give 10 minutes of homework per night for students in kindergarten and first grade and increase the amount by 10 minutes per night as grade levels go up. This means that seniors in high school are recommended to have roughly two hours of homework per night.

Students in high school get way too much homework every night as they also have extracurricular activities and other duties to do, and the last thing they want to do after a hard day of school is to continue learning what they have already covered in school.

Many students feel the amount of homework they receive influences their lives in a way where they cannot do the things they love. Senior Matthew Gray said how homework has affected his life during virtual learning.

“Online, I’d be getting huge projects and essays to do, so I would just be on my computer all day and miss out on other things I could be doing, such as hanging out with friends and family, since I have things to get done,” Gray said.

Another person that doesn’t see the positives of homework is AP Spanish teacher Christina Holmes.

“I try to keep homework to a minimum,” Holmes said. “I feel like homework should only continue something that has been worked on in class. I would never assign new material as homework. Homework, if given, is one of two things, an opportunity to complete an assignment that was worked on in class or an opportunity to use the language in a real life setting, such as watching a TV show in Spanish or talking to someone in Spanish,” Holmes said.

While some students and teachers do not admire and agree with homework, other students and teachers do see the necessity of homework. AP Calculus teacher Adam Hosler is a proponent in favor of homework.

“Homework is especially important for math as you have to practice the skills on your own to internalize it, to know what you’re doing,” Hosler said, “I think the amount of homework students should do is dependent on the student’s level, so AP kids would have more homework than kids in Algebra II, so I think there’s a feel on how much homework students should do. I base homework on quality over quantity: as long as you understand the topics, instead of how much homework you do. Students do need more practice based on their levels on certain topics though.”

According to Is Homework Beneficial? – Top 3 Pros and Cons , students who do homework for 30 to 90 minutes a day score 40 points higher on the SAT Math portion than students who do no homework a day.

Additionally, in relation to standardized tests and grades, students who do homework perform better than 69% of students who do not have homework.

Statistical research from the High School Journal on the impact of homework showed that 64% of students in one study and 72% of students in another study, improved academic achievement due to having homework.

Homework’s so-called purpose is to be beneficial to students, yet it appears to be the direct opposite, as homework usually causes negative effects for students.

If teachers are to give students homework, it should be homework that is relevant to the real world. It should contain skills that are realistic to the skills you would use in real life. Homework should not be worksheets that are irrelevant to the world outside of their classes.

Teachers should be more mindful of students’ lives outside of school as teachers often load students with immense amounts of homework that students are not capable of completing, which makes their lives even more difficult on top of other obligations outside of school.

A change needs to be made on the homework policy. Homework should be relevant to the real world and not just monotonous daily worksheets that don’t seem to serve a purpose to the real world.

Less amounts of homework need to be given to allow students to relax outside of school and enjoy their lives, instead of constantly being stressed due to their homework duties.

adam hosler
Ari'el Abbott
Christina Holmes
hank perkins
Matthew Gray

Sophia DeAnda , Staff Writer

April 22, 2024

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The Teens Are Not Alright

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How can schools help, limit homework, coordinate the workload across classes, rethink the schedule, provide student and parent education, what teens need to know.

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We've seen an uptick in students with anxiety. It just wasn't this bad a few years ago.They are so driven. They want to be in all these activities and take all these AP classes, and then they get stressed out because they are overscheduled. They act like they've got it all together, then the smallest thing has them in tears or leads to a meltdown.We have a lot of students who are perfectionists, especially girls. I give a simple homework assignment that shouldn't take longer than 30 minutes. They come back with something way beyond what they needed to do.There's this hyper-competitiveness, that if you are not the best , you're nothing. If their paper isn't better than everyone else's, they feel like they failed. And heaven forbid they get a B on something. To them, it may as well be an F .

Experience learning as joyful and exciting.
Read for pleasure.
Play a game where winning doesn't matter.
Figure out who they are and what they value.
Fall in love, not with a person, but with a passion.
Discover not what the world can do for them, but what they can do for the world.
Reflect, wonder and dream, breathe, and live in the moment.
School is not the real world and that in the real world, the rules will differ from place to place.
Their worth is not determined by their GPA or how many activities they are in.
Focusing only on the future insults the value of the present.
Failing a test or even a course does not make them a failure.
Their success is not enhanced by someone else's failure.

Guiding Questions

➛ Does your school feed into the culture of high-achieving, overwhelmed, "rudderless box checkers" that Vatterott describes? In what ways?

➛ What changes to existing school practices, like homework, could help lift the burden off your student population?

Abeles, V. (2015). Beyond measure . New York: Simon and Schuster.

Pope, D., Brown, M., & Miles, S. (2015). Overloaded and underprepared: Strategies for stronger schools and healthy, successful kids . San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass.

Vatterott, C. (2015). Rethinking grading: Meaningful assessment for standards-based learning . Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

Vatterott, C. (2018). Rethinking homework: Best practices that support diverse needs (2nd ed.). Alexandria, VA: ASCD.

• 1 For resources to reduce student stress and educate parents, visit www.challengesuccess.org .

Cathy Vatterott is professor emeritus of education at the University of Missouri–St. Louis. Referred to as the "homework lady," Vatterott has been researching, writing, and speaking about K–12 homework for more than 20 years.

She frequently presents at a variety of state and national educational conferences and also serves as a consultant and workshop presenter for K–12 schools on a variety of topics.

ASCD is a community dedicated to educators' professional growth and well-being.

Let us help you put your vision into action., related articles.

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Published: 22 April 2024

Clusters of lifestyle behavioral risk factors and their associations with depressive symptoms and stress: evidence from students at a university in Finland

Walid El Ansari 1 , 2 , 3 ,
Rene Sebena 4 ,
Kareem El-Ansari 5 &
Sakari Suominen 6 , 7 , 8

BMC Public Health volume 24 , Article number: 1103 ( 2024 ) Cite this article

Metrics details

No previous research of university students in Finland assessed lifestyle behavioral risk factors (BRFs), grouped students into clusters, appraised the relationships of the clusters with their mental well-being, whilst controlling for confounders. The current study undertook this task.

Students at the University of Turku ( n = 1177, aged 22.96 ± 5.2 years) completed an online questionnaire that tapped information on sociodemographic variables (age, sex, income sufficiency, accommodation during the semester), four BRFs [problematic alcohol consumption, smoking, food consumption habits, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA)], as well as depressive symptoms and stress. Two-step cluster analysis of the BRFs using log-likelihood distance measure categorized students into well-defined clusters. Two regression models appraised the associations between cluster membership and depressive symptoms and stress, controlling for sex, income sufficiency and accommodation during the semester.

Slightly more than half the study participants (56.8%) had always/mostly sufficient income and 33% lived with parents/partner. Cluster analysis of BRFs identified three distinct student clusters, namely Cluster 1 (Healthy Group), Cluster 2 (Smokers), and Cluster 3 (Nonsmokers but Problematic Drinkers). Age, sex and MVPA were not different across the clusters, but Clusters 1 and 3 comprised significantly more respondents with always/mostly sufficient income and lived with their parents/partner during the semester. All members in Clusters 1 and 3 were non-smokers, while all Cluster 2 members comprised occasional/daily smokers. Problematic drinking was significantly different between clusters (Cluster 1 = 0%, Cluster 2 = 54%, Cluster 3 = 100%). Cluster 3 exhibited significantly healthier nutrition habits than both other clusters. Regression analysis showed: (1) males and those with sufficient income were significantly less likely to report depressive symptoms or stress; (2) those living with parents/partner were significantly less likely to experience depressive symptoms; (3) compared to Cluster 1, students in the two other clusters were significantly more likely to report higher depressive symptoms; and (4) only students in Cluster 2 were more likely to report higher stress.

Conclusions

BRFs cluster together, however, such clustering is not a clear-cut, all-or-none phenomenon. Students with BRFs consistently exhibited higher levels of depressive symptoms and stress. Educational and motivational interventions should target at-risk individuals including those with insufficient income or living with roommates or alone.

Peer Review reports

Transition to university corresponds with a crucial time of psychosocial stressors including separation from family home, pressures associated with academic work, and unhealthy lifestyle habits [ 1 ]. Mental well-being can be affected in early adulthood during the university years, rendering students’ mental well-being a potential concern [ 2 , 3 , 4 ]. For instance, a study in the USA found that pre-veterinary students’ mental well-being declined as they progressed in their undergraduate careers [ 5 ].

The mental well-being of university students is extremely important, as it is crucial for their academic achievement and social progress, and for the economic development and success of the country [ 6 ]. Two common conditions that are frequently encountered by students are depressive symptoms and stress [ 7 , 8 ].

In terms of depressive symptoms, a systematic review found that their prevalence among students ranged from 1.4 to 73.5% [ 9 ]. Others reported that 60.1% of the students surveyed across 32 distinct degree programs had mild to severe depressive symptoms in Italy [ 10 ], and depressive symptoms were present in 46% of female [ 11 ] and 37% male respondents [ 12 ] in North American medical schools. Presence of depressive symptoms among students is a crucial determinant of their academic and social functioning [ 13 ].

Likewise, students also experience high stress levels [ 14 ]. For nursing students, practicing in clinical settings was a major stress [ 15 ]; and in the UK, students reported stress [ 16 ]. University students’ stress levels are important as it can have negative academic, emotional and health outcomes, and students might employ different unhealthy strategies to cope with stress (e.g., alcohol, smoking, illicit drug/s use, unhealthy eating) [ 17 , 18 , 19 ].

In addition, an interplay between stress and depressive symptoms has been suggested. Students with a history of depression were more likely to experience high stress levels [ 20 ]; and while mild stress can be associated with a positive effect on students by posing alternative solutions to problems, and enhancing motivation, high stress levels are associated with depression [ 21 , 22 ].

Similarly, the interplay between mental well-being and lifestyle habits is important. For instance, starting university negatively influenced students’ well-being, physical activity (PA) levels, and diet quality [ 23 ]; and a survey of freshmen students across five European countries found that stress and depressive symptoms were associated with problem drinking [ 24 ]. Likewise, among students with high levels of depressive symptoms, moderate or vigorous PA was associated with less depressive symptoms [ 25 ].

Sociodemographic characteristics also play a role. The incidence of common mental health problems differs significantly by sociodemographic characteristics such as sex, age, and living place during university time [ 26 ]. For instance, the prevalence and levels of depressive symptoms among female students were significantly higher than among men [ 27 ]; and stress levels were higher among female students than males [ 28 ]. As for accommodation during the semester, living outside the parental home in student dormitories, on campus, or in private homes, whether with roommates or alone, brings less exposure to parental control and more frequent exposure to peer influence, and thus opportunities to engage in unhealthy behaviors such as drinking alcohol, or tobacco and other drug/s use [ 29 , 30 , 31 ].

However, the literature reveals knowledge gaps. To the best of our knowledge, we are not aware of studies of university students in Finland that assessed the relationships between harmful lifestyle behavioral risk factors (BRFs) e.g., smoking, problematic alcohol consumption, low PA, and unhealthy nutrition patterns on the one hand; and depressive symptoms and stress on the other, employing such lifestyle BRFs and using cluster analysis (CA) to categorize students into clusters, before appraising the associations of such clusters with depressive symptoms and stress.

CA is used to identify subgroups of cases based on shared characteristics in heterogeneous samples and combines them into homogeneous groups. It provides a great deal of information about the types of cases and the distributions of variables [ 32 ]. CA is viewed as a quantitative complement to traditional linear statistics that emphasizes diversity and ecological context of behavior rather than central tendencies and simple interactions and is more person-centered and of stronger methodological rationale; nevertheless, traditional approaches are more frequently used in BRF research [ 33 , 34 ]. Given that lifestyle BRFs do not occur in isolation from each other, CA is a sound method that is increasingly being employed to group together university students with similar lifestyle behaviors [ 35 , 36 ].

The current study bridges these knowledge gaps. The aim of the study was to appraise the relationships between clusters of lifestyle BRFs and depressive symptoms and stress. The specific objectives were to: (1) assess four lifestyle BRFs (tobacco, smoking, problematic alcohol use, dietary habits, PA), and group students correspondingly into clusters; (2) compare the socio-demographic features of students in the generated clusters; and, (3) appraise the relationships between the generated BRFs clusters and depressive symptoms and stress.

In this paper, we use the WHO definitions of depressive symptoms (involves a depressed mood or loss of pleasure or interest in activities for long periods of time) and of stress (a state of worry or mental tension caused by a difficult situation) [ 37 , 38 ].

Ethics, Sample, procedures

The study was approved by the Research and Ethics Committee at the University of Turku, Finland (Approval # Lausunto 10/2010) with an informed consent waiver. An email invitation with the research objectives was sent to all first, second- and third-year undergraduate students (n = 4387) enrolled at all faculties of the university, inviting them to participate. A university-wide English-language online survey was used to collect data during the academic year 2013–2014. As skills in English are generally good among young adults in Finland and particularly among university students, translation of the questionnaire into Finnish was not considered necessary. Students from all the seven faculties of the University of Turku (Humanities, Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Medicine, Law, Social Sciences, Education, and Economics) were invited. Participation was voluntary and anonymous, and data were confidential and protected (anonymous, no identifiers, strict access only to the research team, secure computer storage, password updated and regularly changed every month, no paper copies). Students were provided with information about the study as well as contact details for any questions and were informed that by completing the questionnaire, they were providing consent to participate in the study. Both the initial invitation to participate and the subsequent reminder emails fourteen days later were sent to all undergraduate students. In addition, three posters about the study were displayed in the university’s student café and the reminder was announced on the University intraweb site. Webropol platform was used for the online survey and all students received a link to the questionnaire. After completing the survey, students' answers were automatically saved and forwarded to the university’s Student Management Office. The Student Management Office gathered the completed online responses, and the data was entered electronically into an Excel spreadsheet to ensure a high level of quality assurance. Once this stage was completed, the data was forwarded to the research team.

Research tool: Survey Questionnaire

Socio-demographic information included students’ sex and age. Subjective financial situation was measured by a single item: “How sufficient is your income?”, with a 4-point response scale, subsequently dichotomized into (always /mostly sufficient vs. always/mostly insufficient) [ 24 ]. Students were also asked about the type of accommodation during the semester, and responses were dichotomized into “I live with my parents/ partner” vs “with roomates/alone” [ 29 ]. The rationale is that living with a partner/ parents may involve compromise and need to respect one another’s boundaries and preferences which may lead individuals to engage in fewer risky behaviors; while living in student dormitories, in private flats, either with roommates or alone, entails less exposure to parental control and more exposure to peer influence and therefore to opportunities to engage in problematic behavior [ 39 , 40 ].

Perceived stress was measured with the four-item version of Cohen’s perceived stress scale (PSS) that measures the degree to which situations in one’s life over the past month are appraised as stressful [ 41 ]. The questions are of a general nature and items are designed to detect how unpredictable, uncontrollable, and overloaded respondents find their lives, e.g. “How often have you felt that you were unable to control the important things in your life?”; and, “How often have you felt confident about your ability to handle your personal problems?”. Students responded on a five-point scale (0 = “never”, 1 = “almost never”, 2 = “sometimes”, 3 = “fairly often”, 4 = “very often”). The PSS score was obtained by summing up answers to individual questions. Items were recoded so that higher scores indicated more perceived stress. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.75.

Depressive symptoms were measured using a modified version of the Beck Depression Inventory (M-BDI) [ 42 ]. Participants were asked to describe how often they experienced 20 depressive feelings during the past few days with 6-point scale responses (from 0=”never” to 5 = “almost always”). Sample items include: “I feel sad”, “I feel I am being punished”, “I have thoughts of killing myself”, and “I have lost interest in other people”. The M-BDI score is obtained by summing up answers to individual questions. The scale showed good level of reliability. Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was 0.94.

Problem drinking was assessed using CAGE screening test for problem alcohol use, consisting of four questions (Have you ever felt you should C ut down on your drinking? Have people A nnoyed you by criticizing your drinking? Have you ever-felt bad or G uilty about your drinking? Have you ever had a drink in the morning to get rid of a hangover? ( E ye opener). Each item has 2 response options (“Yes,” “No”) [ 43 ]. Two or three affirmative answers suggest problem drinking. We classified the respondents as non-problematic drinkers (less than two positive answers) and problematic drinkers (two or more positive answers).

Smoking was measured with the item “Within the last 3 months, how often did you smoke (cigarettes, pipes, cigarillos, cigars)?” with response options “Daily,” “Occasionally,” and “Never” [ 44 ].

Dietary assessment (12 items): respondents self-reported their dietary habits in a food frequency questionnaire, which included 12 variables assessing their consumption of sweets, cakes/crackers, fast food and canned foods, fresh fruit, raw and cooked vegetables and salads, meat and fish, dairy products and cereals. In the initial question “How often do you eat the following foods?“, students were asked about the frequency of their usual consumption of each food group separately (5-point scale: “several times a day”, “daily”, “several times a week”, “1–4 times a month”, “never”). The question elicited information on student’s overall food consumption. The instrument was based on pre-existing food frequency questionnaires, adapted and used in previous studies [ 45 ].

Dietary guideline adherence score was calculated based on students’ responses to the food frequency questionnaire [ 45 ]. There are no specific guidelines for sweets, cakes/cookies, snacks, fast food/canned foods and sodas/soft drinks, so “1–4 times per month” and “never” were used as the recommended values. We used the above composite food intake pattern score (sweets, cakes/cookies, and snacks score) to assess sweets, cakes/cookies, and snacks combined, and healthy eating was considered present if this score was ≤ 6, corresponding to intake of these items “less often than 1–4 times a month” for each food item. Each of the fast food/canned food and lemonade/soft drink items was included as a separate item in the calculation of the objective dietary guideline adherence score. For other food groups, the WHO recommendations for the European region were used [ 46 ]. Subsequently, for the number of daily servings of fruit, raw and cooked vegetables, the cut-off value was “daily” or “several times a day”; and for meat, the cut-off was “less than daily” and for fish, it was “several times a week”. Milk and cereals were not included in the calculation of the dietary guideline adherence score because information on milk and cereals was generally too non-specific to be categorized as healthy/unhealthy. The dietary guideline adherence score (Supplementary File 1) has a maximum of 8 points calculated from the recommendations of 8 food groups: (1) sweets, cookies, snacks; (2) fast food/canned food; (3) lemonade/soft drinks; (4) fruit; (5) salad, raw vegetables; (6) cooked vegetables; (7) meat; and (8) fish [ 44 , 46 ].

Two forms of physical activity (i.e., vigorous PA, moderate PA) were assessed using the questions, “On how many of the past 7 days did you: (1) participate in vigorous exercise of ≥ 20 min; (2) participate in moderate exercise of ≥ 30 min?” For each form of PA, students reported the number of days they engaged in such activity (range 0–7 days). Moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) was calculated by combining moderate-intensity PA and vigorous-intensity PA [ 47 ].

Statistical analysis

Quantitative variables were presented as mean ± standard deviation, while qualitative variables were presented as frequency and percent. Independent samples t-test compared quantitative variables, while Pearson chi-square test compared qualitative variables. Two-step cluster analysis was applied to 4 BRFs (tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking, PA, eating behavior) to identify clusters that differed in criterion variables within the dataset, and the procedure combined pre-clustering and hierarchical methods. A log-likelihood distance measure was used in the two-step cluster analysis because the BRFs comprised continuous and categorical variables. Cluster number selection was automated using the Schwarz Bayesian criterion. Within each cluster, the frequency of categories and percentages were reported for categorical BRFs, whereas mean ± standard deviation were reported for continuous BRFs. Differences in the distribution of sociodemographic characteristics and BRFs across clusters were tested using Chi-square tests for categorical variables or independent samples t-tests for continuous variables. Two separate multiple linear regression models examined the association between cluster membership and depressive symptoms and stress while adjusting for participant’s sex, income sufficiency, and accommodation during semesters. Any missing values were not imputed. The number of missing values was negligible, hence we decided to use complete case analysis which limits the analysis to respondents with complete data [ 48 ]. Statistical analyses were performed using SPSS v25.0 and statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.

Characteristics of the sample

The total number of responses was 1179 (response rate = 27%). Mean age of the students was ≈ 23 (SD 5) years and 823 (70.4%) were female. More than half the respondents reported always/mostly sufficient income (Table 1 ). During university semesters, about a third of the students lived with parents or partners. Daily smoking was rare (about 6%), and mean MVPA was 4.27 ± 3.27 days/week. Sex differences were apparent as significantly more females exhibited non-problematic drinking and had healthier eating habits.

Clustering of four behavioral risk factors among students

The silhouette value of cohesion and separation was ≈ 0.7 indicating good cluster quality. A total of 82 participants with missing values in the items used for the cluster analysis were not included, reducing the sample size to 1097. Cluster analysis of the four BRFs resulted in three well-defined clusters, namely Cluster 1 (Healthy Group, n = 649), Cluster 2 (Smokers, n = 245), and Cluster 3 (Nonsmokers but Problem Drinkers, n = 203). There were significant differences across the clusters for some of the sociodemographic characteristics (Table 2 ). Age and sex were not different across the clusters, however, Cluster 1 and Cluster 3 comprised significantly more respondents who reported always/ mostly sufficient income and lived with their parents/ partner during semester time.

The clusters exhibited significant differences across most of the BRFs. However, all students in Clusters 1 and 3 had never smoked, but all Cluster 2 students were occasional/daily smokers. Although problematic drinking increased from Cluster 1 (0%) to Cluster 3 (100%), Cluster 3 respondents had significantly healthier nutrition habits than both other clusters. MVPA was not significantly different between the 3 clusters, however an additional post-hoc test revealed a significant difference in MVPA between Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 ( p = 0.02).

Associations of behavioral risk factor clusters with depressive symptoms and perceived stress

For the regression analysis, Table 3 depicts that two sociodemographic characteristics (female sex, income insufficiency) were significantly associated with both depressive symptoms and perceived stress. Males and those with sufficient income were significantly less likely to report depressive symptoms or stress. Accommodation status during the semester was significantly associated with depressive symptoms only, those living with parents/partner were significantly less likely to experience depressive symptoms. Compared to Cluster 1, students in the two other clusters were significantly more likely to report higher depressive symptoms. However, only Cluster 2 was significantly more likely to be associated with higher perceived stress.

University students are at a critical stage of their lives, transitioning into adulthood with its unique challenges that can impact their lifestyle and health behaviors. BRFs among students refer to behaviors that can increase their risk of developing negative health outcomes [ 49 ]. Hence, there have been calls to actively provide vulnerable students with the support required to manage their mental well-being [ 50 ]. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to cluster four BRFs among a large sample of university students in Finland, and to weigh up the links of the clusters with depressive symptoms and stress.

Our main findings revealed three distinct BRFs clusters, with significant differences across almost all the BRFs under examination. Cluster 1 (Healthy Group) comprised students with healthier lifestyle habits who did not smoke and had no problematic drinking. On the other hand, Cluster 2 (Smokers) included occasionally/ daily smokers and almost half were problem drinkers; and Cluster 3 (Nonsmokers but Problem Drinkers) comprised 100% problematic drinkers.

These findings confirm that lifestyle BRFs do not appear in a solitary manner and do not transpire in isolation from each other. Rather, they cluster together in constellations, where individuals engaging in one risky behavior are more likely to engage in other risky behaviors. Conversely, students with healthier lifestyles are likely to maintain healthy diets, not smoke and have no problematic drinking. Except for Cluster 1, the other two clusters represented students with 50% and 100% problematic alcohol consumption. It could be that for these young adults at this stage of life within a university setting characterized by a heightened sense of fraternity, excessive drinking patterns might be part of the student life [ 51 ].

The current study assessed the relationships between the BRFs clusters and depressive symptoms and stress after adjusting for sex, income sufficiency and accommodation during semesters. In terms of gender, the current findings demonstrate that males were significantly less likely to report depressive symptoms and stress, congruent with a body of evidence among students in several countries [ 28 , 52 ]. The so-called gender paradox in health is that women live longer than men but have more chronic and mental health problems throughout the life course [ 53 ]. A recent study assessed sex differences in mental well-being using items that included feeling unhappy or depressed, having lost confidence in oneself and being unable to overcome one’s problems [ 54 ]. This study found that sex differences in mental well-being in the Nordic countries are not particularly small and also remain when other social and lifestyle factors are considered [ 54 ]. Similarly, another recent study on loneliness, mental well-being, and self-esteem among adolescents in four Nordic countries (Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Sweden) found the prevalence of positive mental well-being among boys was higher than girls; boys had higher self-esteem compared to girls; and feelings of loneliness were more frequent among girls [ 55 ]. Such existence of poorer health outcomes and gender differences in mental well-being within Nordic countries despite their robust welfare systems and gender equality policy, has been proposed to be a reflection of complex societal influences [ 54 ].

As regards income sufficiency and accommodation during the semester, students with sufficient income were less likely to report depressive symptoms and stress, congruent with studies where perceived socioeconomic status (SES) predicted mental and general well-being [ 56 , 57 ]. Although SES is not the sole predictor of mental well-being, its impact can help to identify at-risk populations and inform policy decisions aimed at reducing health disparities. In addition, living with parents/partners was protective for depressive symptoms in the current study. This is supported by other evidence where young adults living with parents/partners reported fewer depressive symptoms compared to those who live alone/with roommates, as living with parents/partner can provide a sense of security, financial stability, social and emotional support, and a sense of belonging which positively impacts mental well-being [ 58 ].

Associations between BRF clusters and stress

Compared to Cluster 1 (Healthy Group), Cluster 2 (Smokers) who also exhibited some problem drinking and had significantly lower MVPA, were more likely to report higher stress ( p < 0.01), even after adjusting for the three potential confounders. This is congruent with a raft of studies where the use of alcohol or other substances, as well as the presence of more substance-related problems, were associated with higher stress [ 24 , 59 ]. Tension reduction theory holds that tension-producing circumstances (i.e., stressors) might lead to increased drinking, as alcohol is perceived to reduce tension and therefore increased tension (strains or stress) may cause drinking [ 60 ]. In addition, regular PA, whether moderate or intense, helped to reduce stress [ 61 ], improve mood [ 62 ] and sleep quality [ 63 ], all important for managing stress.

Such differences that we identified between Cluster 1 and Cluster 2 in terms of the association of the latter with higher stress were not observed when comparing Cluster 1 (Healthy Group) with Cluster 3 (Nonsmokers but Problem Drinkers). Healthy eating habits among the risk-taking Cluster 3 students may serve as protective factor against perceived stress, supporting studies that found stress was associated with unhealthy eating behavior changes [ 64 , 65 ].

Associations between BRF clusters and depressive symptoms

Compared to Cluster 1 (Healthy Group), the two other less healthy clusters were significantly more likely to be associated with higher depressive symptoms after adjusting for sex, income sufficiency and accommodation during semesters. These findings are consistent with research of college students that found relationships between depressive symptoms and various BRFs such as problematic drinking [ 24 ] or sedentary behavior and physical inactivity [ 66 ].

The association between cluster membership and depressive symptoms exhibited a p value of < 0.05 when Cluster 1 was compared with Cluster 3 (Nonsmokers but Problem Drinkers, but simultaneously also physically active). However, when Cluster 1 (Healthier group) was compared with Cluster 2 (Smokers who also simultaneously exhibited the least PA), the significance level increased ( p < 0.001). This suggests that the relationship between cluster and depressive symptoms was more pronounced among Cluster 2 students. As highlighted above, PA might have numerous mental well-being benefits, including reducing the risk of developing depressive symptoms, as regular exercise helps to improve mood, reduce stress, and increase the release of the natural mood-enhancing endorphins in the brain [ 67 , 68 , 69 ]. Therefore, a sedentary lifestyle and lack of PA can increase the risk of depressive symptoms.

This study has limitations. The survey was cross-sectional, so the direction of the association between BRFs and depressive symptoms and stress cannot be ascertained. A point to note is that BRFs such as physical inactivity or problematic drinking can be a consequence of stress or depressive symptoms [ 70 ], although the relationship has been suggested to be bi-directional, where sedentary behavior and drinking might also lead to depressive symptoms [ 71 ]. Data were self-reported, with possible recall, social desirability/ sociability biases; and the response rate was not very high which is quite common with internet-based surveys [ 72 ] and could negatively impact representativeness of a sample which in turn affects the internal validity and limits generalizability of findings [ 73 ]. As we were unable to obtain data about those who did not participate in the survey, we could not assess differences between students who participated in the survey and those who did not.

The study has many strengths, including a large sample of students from across all the university departments/faculties categorized into clusters, reporting on a wide range of BRFs pertinent to health, thus extending previous studies that focused on a single/few health behavior(s). It is the first study among university students in Finland that appraised and categorized students into BRFs clusters and explored the associations of the clusters with two mental well-being indicators, whilst controlling for several potential confounders. In the questionnaire, an item regarding problems related to completion of the survey instrument in English was included, but according to the responses, almost none of the respondents reported serious difficulties understanding any of the questions.

BRFs include problematic drinking, smoking, low PA, and unhealthy dietary patterns. These risk factors usually do not occur in isolation but rather tend to cluster together, creating congregations that are associated with depressive symptoms and stress among university students. Fortunately, BRFs are a product of lifestyle choices, and therefore can be potentially modified through effective behavioral modification interventions. Our findings are important to educators, policymakers and other stakeholders involved with these young adult populations. Prevention and intervention efforts could focus on risk groups (e.g., students with insufficient income, living with roommates or alone) and on implementing effective educational and motivational interventions to encourage regular PA, healthy eating habits and nutrition, as well as smoking cessation and responsible drinking programs.

Data availability

Data are available from the authors upon reasonable request to corresponding authors.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank the university and students who participated in the survey.

Rene Sebena was supported by the Slovak Research and Development Agency under the contract No. APVV-19-0284.

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Department of Surgery, Hamad General Hospital, Hamad Medical Corporation, 3050, Doha, Qatar

Walid El Ansari

College of Medicine, Qatar University, 3050, Doha, Qatar

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Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, PJ Safarik University, Kosice, Slovak Republic

Rene Sebena

Faculty of Medicine, St. George’s University, Saint George’s, Grenada

Kareem El-Ansari

School of Health Sciences, University of Skövde, 541 28, Skövde, Sweden

Sakari Suominen

Department of Public Health, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

Research Services, The wellbeing services county of Southwest Finland, Turku, Finland

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Conceptualization, Walid El Ansari and Sakari Suominen; methodology, Walid El Ansari, Rene Sebena, Sakari Suominen; software, Rene Sebena; investigation, Walid El Ansari, Sakari Suominen, Rene Sebena and Kareem El-Ansari; data curation, Walid El Ansari, Rene Sebena, Sakari Suominen and Kareem El-Ansari; writing original draft preparation, Walid El Ansari, Rene Sebena and Kareem El-Ansari. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

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Correspondence to Sakari Suominen .

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This study has been reviewed and approved by the University Research and Ethics Committee (Approval # Lausunto 10/2010). Students were informed that by completing the survey, they agree to participate in the study. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations (Declaration of Helsinki).

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El Ansari, W., Sebena, R., El-Ansari, K. et al. Clusters of lifestyle behavioral risk factors and their associations with depressive symptoms and stress: evidence from students at a university in Finland. BMC Public Health 24 , 1103 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18421-0

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