ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION: Academic learning is the most important source of stress among young students worldwide and appears to be quite severe in eastern countries. We aimed to examine the relationship between academic stress and depression among adolescents. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among adolescents in United Arab Emirates using the Perceived Stress Scale - 14 (PSS-14) and Educational Stress Scale (ESS) for Adolescents (English and Arabic versions). RESULTS: The overall PSS was high in 186 (20%) of the respondents, and moderate in 695 (76%). A multiple regression model of predictors of the PSS showed statistically significant correlations between the total PSS-14 scores and age (p<0.0004), gender (p<0.0001), and grade (p<0.001). A multiple regression model of the PSS-14 questionnaire as predictors of the ESSA revealed that Four variables on PSS-14 were statistically significant predictors of the ESSA: history of depression (p<0.0001), content with academic achievement (p<0.0001), high academic expectation of parents (p<0.003), and a believe capable of meeting parental expectations (p<0.0001). CONCLUSIONS: Adolescents with severe academic stress need to be identified early. We suggest that an interdisciplinary team in the schools including student advisors and counselors be developed to further address stressors. In addition, students should be taught different stress management techniques such as cognitive behavioral skills to improve their ability to cope with school demands. The identification of stressors may lead to strategies that might address the quality of teaching and mental health evaluation among adolescents.