“Unwanted stress predisposes development of panic attacks and acute stress reactions. Some go into depression as well. I have seen children getting admitted to hospital with such symptoms during A/L exams.”- Dr Jayan Mendis
For the thousands of students sitting the A.L exams left stranded by bus and train strikes unsure if they would get to their exam halls in time, they also face the problem of coping with stress due to various problems.The Sunday Observer spoke to Consultant Psychiatrist and Founder Director of the National Institute of Mental Health Dr Jayan Mendis on his views of this troubling issue.
Q. The Grade 5 Scholarship exam has just concluded and the GCE A/L exam is now on. Students sitting this exam are adolescents who have to struggle with their bodily hormonal changes as well as cope with their studies in this fiercely competitive exam. As the Founder Director of the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) what are the likely health impacts of this exam on the participants?
A. To answer this, we need to consider factors at three different levels. Parental attitudes, teachers’ attitudes, and student factors. Parents believe exams will have a bearing on their children’s future and understandably want them to do well. Pressure from parents is a major source of stress. But exam performance depends on the level of intelligence of a child, good nutrition, competence shown in the class, the environment where the child is brought up and how well the child is equipped with handling day to day difficulties.
For teachers, they are under considerable pressure for students to perform well. They have to show statistics that the pass rate is 100% or that students receive very high ranks. Some take it positively, but mostly it becomes a marathon race and the ultimate aim is to produce the results they desire without taking into consideration the students’ desires.
This has become a burning issue to train students to get top ranks, though the real purpose of the exams is different. As far as students are concerned they are under tremendous pressure and undergo strenuous training. This could result in exhaustion leading to mental stress, lack of self-confidence and unwanted anxiety. A high level of anxiety will hamper performance at the exam.
Q. It has been said, stress is one of the main problems that students have to cope with. Since they are still growing and their bodies developing , how do they cope with stress from ambitious parents who want them to shine academically, school teachers who have similar goals and their own limited vision for the future?
A. Yes stress plays a major role. Stress is the no specific response of the body to any demand. Not all stress is bad. A little stress heightens concentration and improves performances on complex task. However, beyond a certain level stress starts to negatively impact performances. In Sri Lanka, education is known for its value system.
The parental expectation and competitive environment are factors that increase stress levels of young children. It is important for the children to be confident in what they attempt. This process should start at home. Parents from an early age should facilitate their children’s freedom, give them space of their own, let them take decisions. This would let the child to be more confident and capable of being independent.
In our culture disappointments and failures are not considered as learning experiences. This has to be changed. In schools, the students should expose them to all sorts of experiences e.g. sports, music, learning new languages, art, literature, travel and spirituality. This would inculcate the value of being open to varied ideas and experiences of accepted wisdom.
Q. Many of the students sitting exams are glued to their school books . How will this impact their health?
A. As we all know it can predispose children to develop non-curable diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and dyslipidemia in the future. Studies have shown, a sedentary lifestyle itself will have a negative impact on their academic performance.
Q. Some students have been known to experience panic attacks and depression, which has sent them to hospital on the eve of their exam. Your comments
A. Children are exposed to tremendous stress on the eve of the exam due to various factors. Unwanted stress and poor coping abilities predispose them to the development of panic attacks and acute stress reactions. Some of them eventually go into depression as well. I have seen children getting admitted to hospital with such symptoms during the A/L exams.
Q. Many students sitting an exam starve themselves nutritionally, living on a diet of tea and skipping meals, some sitting the exam on an empty stomach as they have had no time for breakfast. How can parents resolve this problem?
A. Maintaining a balanced diet is important for all, especially, schoolchildren. It is advised they have at least 3 major meals with the inclusion of adequate fruits, vegetables and milk in their diet plan . I have seen students starve before exams when in fact they need more energy to satisfy the high demand.
Q. Lots of students indulge themselves in instant foods like take aways and junk food . As a psychiatrist is there a close link to academic performance and excessive junk food consumption including coke and other drinks containing stimulants which make students hyper active?
A. In general, junk food can provide immediate release of energy and the beverages that contain stimulant may improve the attention and concentration for a brief period. However, studies have shown these would have adverse effects in the long run.
Q. The President and the Prime Minister are currently spearheading leadership and rehabilitation programmes to help young people face the future with more confidence . Do you consider this a step in the right direction?
A. Rehabilitation programs should be tailor made to suit our population. When the President and Prime Minister step in, definitely it would have a positive impact on the outcome. The aim should be that the children should be able to visualize. This country has a better place to prosper in the future. It is important for seniors to pave the way for the children to gain that confidence.
Q. What do you consider are the new challenges and emerging problems that young people sitting an exam face today? Some face personal problems like parental divorce, or death of a loved one or being forced to live in a boarding house till the exam is over.
A. Yes, children face a lot of challenges, with regard to exams there should be a proper curriculum. Students should know what kind of questions would appear in the papers and what kind of answers the examiners expect. This needs home work. Students should be able to understand the examinations and the examiners’ mind. At the same time, unethical questions should not be allowed at exams. Regarding the second part of your question, nowadays, children face a lot of problems at home and in their goal settings.
Parental separation, divorce and extra marital affairs seem common, which can adversely affect a child’s well being. With the introduction of the modern day electronic mobile phone relationships, Facebook relationships are common which have gone to an extent to interfere with the healthy family life. It is not uncommon to see females trap into fake Facebook ID and lose their valuable life as well as their children. We must remember early parental separation and family disputes predispose children to develop mental health problems in later life.
Q. Your message to students who may be reading this on the eve of another paper?
A. Students need to have a better image of themselves. If they have studied well for two years they should be happy to face the exams. No point in revising the entire syllabus but they need to concentrate on the relevant materials. They should spend more time to recollect and revise rather than wandering away for help. A regular hour to have meals, exercise and leisure activities is a must. They should keep in mind that this is not the 1st exam they are opted to face.
Q. Your message to parents and school teachers ?
A. Parents and teachers should remember that now we have a diversity of streams to excel in university education, it is not only medicine or engineering. Do not force the children to go into a field in which the child is not competent. Let them learn and excel in the field which they desire.
I have seen posters and banners of students who have done well at exams in schools. This may hurt a child who couldn’t perform well on a particular occasion or can create anxiety in someone expected to do well next time. Of course, you should celebrate the winners but it should be inside the school premises. The posters outside are for publicity purpose for the school administrations.
Remember, prepare kids for life, nor for standardized exams.