Exam pressure ranks among the most overlooked drivers of mental health struggles in young people, according to experts at Community Keepers, a South African mental health organization. Tatum Redmond and Amanda van der Vyver-Anderson, leaders at the Stellenbosch-based nonprofit, spoke with the Stavros Niarchos Foundation Global Center for Child and Adolescent Mental Health at the Child Mind Institute about why academic stress deserves urgent attention in youth mental health conversations.
The experts highlight a gap in how families and schools address test-related anxiety. While colleges and universities increasingly recognize academic stress as a mental health risk factor, younger students often lack adequate support systems. Students report sleep disruption, concentration problems, panic symptoms, and persistent worry during exam periods. Some experience these effects year-round.
Community Keepers works directly with adolescents navigating South African education systems, where high-stakes testing shapes university access and career prospects. The organization found that students rarely discuss exam anxiety with parents, teachers, or counselors, allowing stress to build silently. Many young people internalize the pressure as personal failure rather than recognizing it as a normal response to challenging circumstances.
The conversation emphasizes that exam pressure functions differently across socioeconomic backgrounds. Students with fewer educational resources often face compounded stress, balancing academic demands with family responsibilities. School-based mental health interventions that acknowledge testing anxiety help students develop concrete coping strategies like time management, realistic goal-setting, and stress-reduction techniques.
Parents can normalize conversations about academic pressure at home. Redmond and van der Vyver-Anderson suggest families create space for teens to express exam-related fears without judgment. Schools benefit from implementing wellness programs during high-stakes testing periods, including access to counselors and reduced academic load during exams.
The Child Mind Institute partnership with Community Keepers reflects growing recognition that youth mental health prevention requires addressing