Academic pressure during the teenage years may leave a far deeper mark on mental health than previously thought, according to new research led by scientists at

University College London (UCL).

The study, published in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health, links high levels of school-related pressure at age 15 with increased depressive symptoms and a greater risk of self-harm that can persist into a person’s early twenties.

Researchers say the findings raise urgent questions about how much pressure schools place on teenagers during key exam years — and whether current education systems are unintentionally harming young people’s mental wellbeing.

Pressure that doesn’t fade with time

Led by senior author Gemma Lewis, the research analysed data from 4,714 adolescents who took part in the long-running Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children (also known as Children of the 90s). Participants were born in southwest England in the early 1990s and have been followed from childhood into adulthood.

At age 15 — around the time students sit their GCSE exams — participants were asked about how much pressure they felt at school. Questions focused on worries about completing schoolwork, pressure from home to succeed, and the perceived importance of achieving at least five GCSEs.

Their mental health was then tracked over several years. Depressive symptoms were recorded between ages 16 and 22, while reports of self-harm were monitored up to age 24.

The pattern was striking. Teenagers who felt more academic pressure at 15 consistently reported higher levels of depressive symptoms throughout late adolescence and into early adulthood. The link remained strong year after year.

Higher pressure, higher risk

The researchers also found a clear association between school pressure and self-harm. Each one-point increase on a nine-point academic pressure scale at age 15 was linked to an 8% rise in the odds of self-harm — an effect that extended into the mid-twenties.

Even earlier exposure mattered. In a secondary analysis, academic pressure reported at ages 11 and 14 was also associated with higher levels of depressive symptoms later on.

“Some pressure can be motivating,” Professor Lewis said, “but too much can become overwhelming. Our findings suggest that excessive academic pressure during the teenage years may have lasting consequences for mental health.”

Rethinking school culture

The authors argue that schools and policymakers should take these results seriously. While many mental health initiatives focus on helping individual pupils cope, the researchers believe a broader approach is needed.

They suggest that reducing the volume of tests and assessments, alongside greater emphasis on social and emotional skills, could help ease the burden on students. Their long-term goal is to develop a whole-school intervention aimed at changing school culture, values and expectations — not just supporting pupils once problems arise.

“Rather than asking young people to adapt to intense pressure,” Lewis said, “we want to explore how schools themselves can change.”

Important caveats

The researchers stress that the study was observational, meaning it cannot prove that academic pressure directly causes depression or self-harm. They also note that the data reflects experiences from 2006–07, before later education reforms and the Covid-19 pandemic, which may have altered the pressures faced by today’s students.

In addition, the measure of academic pressure combined external forces — such as expectations from parents or teachers — with internal pressures driven by students’ own worries and ambitions.

Still, the authors say the findings highlight a clear and persistent link between school stress and mental health outcomes, underlining the need for updated research in modern school settings.

Tolu Fashina-Ayilara, Senior Policy and Influencing Officer at mental health charity Mind, commented: “UCL’s study highlights the significant harm academic pressure can have on young people’s mental health. This supports Mind’s previous research, in which almost four in five young people (78%) reported that school had made their mental health worse. Evidence like this shows why we need to take increasing rates of poor mental health among young people seriously and explore the social, emotional, and economic pressures driving these trends. This focus is crucial to reduce the number of young people struggling with their mental health and making sure all young people have the right support to thrive.”

The study was funded by Wellcome and Royal Society. Photo by Steve Cadman from London, U.K., Wikimedia commons.