A regional psychologist and mum to a daughter embarking on her HSC in New South Wales believes the stress and anxiety once associated with year 12 exams are less than they used to be – and she says the evolving education system is helping
Quirky Kid co-founder Dr Kimberley O’Brien works with children between the ages of two and 16-years-old in her Austinmer and Woollahra clinics in NSW’s Illawarra region and says that, even as year 12 students are preparing for their October HSC exams, she is not seeing as many cases needing support for stress management.
“The system has managed to smooth out the pressure so that it’s not just all coming down to the final exam, as it was when I was at school,” O’Brien says.
“Now it seems like there’s so much that’s based off year 11 work and half yearly exams and things like that, that means there’s not as much pressure. All those early entries into university have really been helpful as well.”
She says she thinks the system is designed to be more manageable for today’s students – “so I don’t see a whole lot of stress currently with the students I’m working with”.
Managing mental and emotional health with care
However, she is quick to reinforce that doesn’t mean some students don’t still experience some peaks and troughs in their mental and emotional health throughout the school year.
O’Brien says young people may feel overwhelmed when assessments are all due in the same week or at the thought of remembering everything they’d ever learned for an exam.
“Those moments mean that even the most relaxed student will probably feel emotional, and they might feel like they have to do some last-minute cramming,” she says.
O’Brien says anxiety can also bounce from student to student – creating a broader environment of anxiety at exam time.
“So, when there are tests, there’ll be some students that are really vocal saying, ‘Oh, we’re all going to fail’,” O’Brien says.
“To have separation from your peers at that time can also be really helpful.”
Her advice for parents includes attending school study information evenings, as well as reaching out to a well-being coordinator for support if a student is having trouble sleeping or is experiencing other signs of stress, such as skin outbreaks or eczema that might need to be explored further.
She says studies have shown that high levels of stress can also sometimes lead to violent behaviour.
“What I have seen and heard is that sometimes in years 11 and 12 kids are getting really irritated with each other, there can be name-calling and put-downs,” says O’Brien.
“It’s just a way of interacting that feels a little bit more aggressive as a consequence of the stress.”
Connecting with nature can help add calm
She recommends that families try to help their teenager connect with nature, if possible, with beach walks, or other sensory experiences, such as listening to the local birdlife, to help them stay grounded, and says that, “even if it’s only for 15 minutes a day”, it may help reduce the risk of squabbles spilling over into home dynamics between siblings or other family members.
Throughout her professional career as a psychologist, O’Brien says she has incorporated various programs, including the award-winning online performance psychology program Power Up, which is based on how to bring out your personal best when facing a stressful situation, such as HSC exams.
“It talks about if you’re feeling stressed during the exam, knowing your support network, and having a game plan for the day, just in case you run out of petrol or something like that,” she says.
“It was written by a lady who used to work at the Australian Institute of Sport with young athletes, and so it’s all-around performance for one big event, and it’s adaptable for kids that are doing academic challenges or performance like dance, music, or athletes.”
Parents may also need to manage exam stress
O’Brien also wants to remind parents that it’s important for them to check in with their own feelings when their children are going through the pointy end of secondary school exams.
“When your babies are growing up and they’re 17 and they’re going to be out the door soon, they’ve got their licence, they’re almost finished the HSC, I think there’s a feeling of loss in some ways for parents,” she says.
She also encourages parents and carers to be mindful of their own anxiety and aim to lead by example.
“Sometimes parents will be saying, ‘Oh my God, this is going to make or break if they get into medicine or not’ and that’s a lot of anxiety for a young person to manage,” O’Brien says.
“If parents can come from a place of calm and patience, that’s going to be very helpful for the young person.”
