A Framework for Building Students’ Coping Skills

FOCUS: STUDENT WELLNESS

Eight in 10 high school students report experiencing recent physical symptoms of stress, such as headaches, stomachaches or fatigue. While many districts have worked to reduce unnecessary student stress, emerging research suggests students also need explicit support in building coping skills.

Stress is a normal part of life. It becomes problematic when demands consistently exceed what we feel equipped to manage. The goal, therefore, is not to eliminate stress, but to help students respond to it in healthy, productive ways.

Data from Challenge Success–Stanford surveys of more than 50,000 high school students show that only about one-third feel confident in their ability to cope with school-related stress. Students with lower confidence are more likely to report physical symptoms of stress.