This study analyzed stress and coping in 110 Irish secondary school students preparing for the Leaving Certificate examinations. Quantitative results found that half of students were distressed, with stress levels bimodally distributed between "stressed" and "a little stressed." Qualitative themes identified sources of stress as the exams' importance, pressure, and difficult course material. Coping mechanisms like positive reframing were favored less than denial or self-blame. The study aims to demonstrate educational factors impacting student mental health around high-stakes exams.

1. Surviving the Leaving Cert: An analysis of stress and coping in final
year secondary school students
Aoife Mary Fitzpatrick
Supervisor: Dr. Joan Tiernan
School of Psychology, University College Dublin, Ireland
Abstract Quantitative Results Qualitative Results
Stress
The present study analysed stress and coping in Leaving Overall 87.27% (n= 95) of participants responded to the open-
Hypothesis One – which stated that students’ stress levels would be
Certificate students. It also examined student distress and ended question and provided very detailed answers. The most
normally distributed, with most frequent stress scores within the
perceived causes of stress. Participants consisted of 110 prominent themes, its percentage occurrence and an example of
moderate region and less frequent scores of extremely high or low
secondary school students due to sit their Leaving Certificate the theme are provided below:
stress – was not supported. In fact the bimodal representation of
examinations in June 2012, with an age range of 16-18 years
student stress (see figure 1 below) may suggest that students are more Importance of the Exams: 34.37%
(M=17.118, SD=0.645). Data obtained consisted of participants’
likely to rate themselves as either “stressed” or “a little bit stressed”. E.g. “My future depends on getting good grades “
responses on the General Health Questionnaire-12, the Brief
Pressure: 19.79%
COPE scale, a stress scale and a Qualitative question pertaining
E.g. “I’m afraid of failure and letting my parents down“
to students’ experiences of the Leaving Certificate. Results were
Difficulty of the Study Material 19.97%
discussed in relation to previous literature such as, the findings
E.g. “Courses are too long and detailed e.g. Home ec”
from Ní Loinsigh (1995) and Smyth et al., (2011) on Leaving
Isolation 6.25%
Certificate stress.
E.g. “Sometimes I feel hopeless and a bit isolated which is ironic
Main Topics and Background being in a school of [X number] girls “
Stress In general, the qualitative themes supported both previous
Figure 1: Frequency of students self reported stress response ‘How stressed do you feel at
Stress can be defined as an external, or internal demand that present, as your Leaving Cert Exam approaches?’ literature and the present study’s quantitative results e.g.
causes an individual to alter their normal psychological, physical perceived causes of stress. However, the theme “Isolation” did
Distress
or behavioural patterns (Lazarus, 1990). not appear in Smyth et al’s,. (2011) study and is potentially
In a population of 110 a total of 49.1% of students were classified as
Ni Loinsigh (1995) compiled a mixed methods evaluation of alarming as students may not have the supports available to deal
distressed and 50.9% were classified as not distressed. Thus, it is
students’ Leaving Certificate stress and observed a normal with their feelings of stress, thus this may impact dramatically
evident that roughly half of students may be experiencing a heightened
distribution of stress among participants. on their mental health.
form of stress, which may impact on their ability to prepare for their
Distress Leaving Certificate examinations. Discussion
Psychological Distress is a heightened form of stress, caused
Coping The present study attempts to demonstrate some of the
by a variety of factors, that effects an individual’s ability to
Hypothesis Two – which stated that students that availed of educational factors that may impact on the mental health of
realise their full potential.
favourable coping mechanisms such as active coping, planning and school-going adolescents.
Cairns & Llyod (2005) looked at distress in a Northern Irish
positive reframing would experience lower levels of stress in Students’
population and found that 30% of the population were classified level of distress and stress is alarming, as roughly
comparison to students that availed of unfavourable coping mechanisms
as distressed. half of the present study’s population are both stressed and
such as denial and self-blame, was not supported. Within this 14 item
Coping distressed and should be addressed promptly!
subscale the following were statistically significant:
Coping is defined as an individual’s attempt to manage their Stressors appear to be predominately external e.g. The impact
responsibilities using the resources available to them (Sarafino, Unfavourable coping methods: Favourable coping methods:
of the examinations on students’ future and the external
2006). > Self-Blame > Instrumental Support parental expectations placed on students.
In the context of the Leaving Certificate, research on student
> Substance Use > Emotional Support The coping mechanisms students employ in order to deal with
coping is predominantly overlooked and thus was of particular
this stress are also concerning e.g. Self-blame, Denial and
interest in the present study. > Denial > Venting
Substance Use
Perceived causes of Stress > Behavioural Distraction > Religion
Ni As college places become progressively more competitive and
Loinsigh’s (1995) unpublished thesis provided a
> Self Distraction
comprehensive view of students’ perceived causes of stress in Leaving Certificate points are continuing to rise, this may put
the mid 1990’s. Contrary to the hypothesis all students who engaged in these coping increased pressure on our youth at a time when their mental
The present study attempted to gain a more recent mechanisms had higher levels of stress. Thus it could be inferred that health is most vulnerable.
understanding of students’ possible stress triggers. students with higher levels of stress seek out more coping mechanisms. Students themselves are requesting help, one participant
Qualitative Analysis Unfortunately, it appears that students use more unfavourable coping
stated “I hope that this research will go for changing this
This section provided students with an unrestricted mechanisms e.g. Self-blame, and Substance Use. Taking into account
for future students. Thank you for your interest and
opportunity to express their experiences and attitudes towards that the population mean age was 17, this evidence is particularly
understanding it mean alot.”
the Leaving Certificate examinations. alarming in relation to students mental and emotional well-being.
To conclude, the combination of high levels of stress and
Smyth, Banks & Calvert (2011) compiled a recent Perceived Causes of Stress inadequate coping mechanisms as evident in the present study,
comprehensive longitudinal qualitative study which included a Hypothesis Four – which stated that students’ most prominent can potentially have maladaptive consequences for youth mental
section on student stress. The results from the present study perceived causes of stress would be personal consequences of health.
were compared to these previous findings. underachievement such as, “My future depending on these
Study Design examinations”, “Not getting the points I need”, “Letting myself down” References
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about your approaching Leaving Certificate Exam.” pressure being placed on students to achieve in their examinations.
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