Effects of stress on students' physical and mental health and academic success

Abstract

Stress affects students in multiple ways. This article provides a conceptual overview of the direct (e.g., psychoneuroimmunological, endocrine) and indirect (health behavior) pathways through which stress affects physical health, the psychological effects of stress on mental health, and the cognitive effects of stress (e.g., attention, concentration) on academic success. We review relevant literature highlighting these links and suggest directions for future research and interventions.

Keywords::

• stress
• students
• health behaviors
• physiology
• cognition
• psychoneuroimmunology
• mental health
• physical health
• academic performance

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nilani L. Shankar

Nilani Shankar is a school psychology intern at Waterford Public Schools in Waterford, Connecticut, USA. She is a school psychology PhD candidate at the University of Connecticut. Her research focuses on mind-body interventions (e.g., hypnosis, mindfulness, yoga, biofeedback) for children and adolescents in school and pediatric settings.

Crystal L. Park

Crystal Park, PhD, is a professor at the University of Connecticut, Department of Psychology and Director of the Graduate Certificate Program in Health Psychology. She is a researcher through the University of Connecticut Center for Health, Intervention, and Prevention. Her research focuses on stress and coping, religiosity/spirituality, meaning-making, stress-related growth, and health psychology.