4 Out of 5 Young People Say Exams Harm Their Mental Health, The Mix Reveals 

by Tom Pinks (he/him)

Senior Content and Communications Manager

Thursday 3rd October 2024

The Mix, the UK’s leading digital charity for young people, has revealed new research that the mental health of almost four in every five young people (79%) are negatively impacted by exams. Self-harm, alcohol and drug abuse were also reported as coping mechanisms in dealing with exam stress. 

As millions of young people find out their exam results this week, The Mix have highlighted the urgent need for more support and resources for their wellbeing during the stress of exam season. 80% of those surveyed said that they experienced panic in the lead up to exams, and 65% said that exams negatively impacted their relationship with their family, with 45% stating that their friendships had been negatively impacted. 

The majority of young people (83%) believed that their exam results affected their future prospects and two in five (41%) felt that their parents cared more about their exam results than them. Despite this, only one third (32%) knew how to seek support when they were stressed over exams. 

Instead, young people resorted to a variety of coping mechanisms to deal with the stress, including self-harm and alcohol and drug abuse. Young people acknowledged the negative impacts that unhealthy coping mechanisms had on their wellbeing, yet a lack of support and resources in place meant that they felt that they had no other option. 

When asked how worried they were about their exam results, almost half (47%) said that they were ‘very worried’ and a further third (30%) were ‘moderately worried’. The main causes behind this were ‘Fear of failing’ (84%), ‘Future career and education prospects’ (82%), ‘Existing anxieties’ (60%) and ‘Low self-confidence’ (57%). 

The latest findings express an immediate and ongoing concern for young people’s wellbeing during exam season, with 16-20 year olds being most affected (45%). The lack of resources and awareness is the driving factor in those seeking unhealthy coping mechanisms. The findings also cast a spotlight on how the education system can better support young people during their exams, with many young people struggling to find the right people and organisations that can help manage their stress and anxiety. 

One young respondent highlighted how changes in education systems had a lasting impact on their mental health and social life: “I was always good in physics and used to maintain A to A* averages but in the last year we got a new teacher, who selected non-typical exam questions for the topic which led to me dropping to an average between A and B. This led to an increase in other students being better than me. These than would compare themselves to me: ‘I was better than…I have a better grade average in physics than, etc. But not just once after the exams. For what felt like months and was really hurtful especially because it was mostly people which I would see as part of my ‘friendship circle’.” 

Chris Martin, CEO of The Mix, added: “Young people are the future of our society. It’s imperative that the future government listens to their concerns and acts accordingly. The Mix is committed to bridging this gap by offering a unique online space where early intervention is key. Young people can find help, connect with peers and drive positive change through volunteering.”