Into the pressure cooker: Student stress in college preparatory high schools

•We assess stress and related behaviors in high-achieving high school students.•We explore symptoms, sleeping and eating, attitudes, and coping behaviors related to stress.•Students reported a high prevalence of physical, psychological correlates of stress.•Students reported related unhealthy behaviors in response to stress.•These findings indicate areas of vulnerability in high-achieving student populations.

PurposeThe goals of this study were to (1) measure psychological, physiological, and behavioral indicators of stress, (2) assess the relationship between stress and student attitudes, and (3) explore coping behaviors in response to stress, among a sample of students in two academically high-achieving environments.MethodThree hundred thirty-three students in grades 9 through 12 from two college-preparatory high schools completed a cross-sectional online survey that included the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale, School Attitude Assessment Questionnaire-Revised, and assessments for stress-related indicators, including eating, sleeping and exercise, and strategies they utilized for coping with stress.ResultsStudents reported a high prevalence of physical and psychological correlates of stress, and related unhealthy behaviors such as widespread and chronic sleep deprivation and rushed meals.ConclusionsThe results suggest areas to focus attention for identifying and addressing maladaptive responses to stress among high-achieving student populations.