An annual survey by the American Psychological Association (APA) in 2013 identified today’s teens as the “most-stressed generation” in the United States. Nearly half of the teens surveyed said that they had stress but couldn’t manage it.

This stress—be it academic, parental, peer, environmental or health-related—is associated with increased incidence of academic failure, physical illness, insomnia, depression and violence. Sadly, suicides among adolescents have quadrupled since the 1950s. A recent survey of seventh graders showed that only 36 percent of students agreed with the statement, “I am happy with my life.”
Not surprisingly, excessive stress in childhood is firmly associated with unhealthy adult behaviors such as abuse of alcohol, tobacco and drugs, and unprotected sex. It is also associated with an increased incidence of autoimmune and cardiac diseases, and mental illness.
In his remarks introducing the APA study, APA Chief Executive Officer Norman B. Anderson, PhD, said, “In order to break this cycle of stress and unhealthy behaviors as a nation, we need to provide teens with better support and health education at school and home, at the community level and in their interactions with healthcare professionals.” He adds, “Parents and other adults can play a critical role in helping teens get a handle on stress by modeling healthy stress management behaviors.”
The BHI has 25 years of experience teaching resiliency in school settings through its Education Initiative (EI). By learning resiliency, children can “rise above” or “bounce back” from situations that create uncertainty, such as illness, adolescence, or academic or peer pressure.
The EI regularly measures the effectiveness of the program using validated assessment tools, which examine pre- and post-program changes in stress levels, self-esteem, grades, coping strategies, locus of control and lifestyle behaviors. The EI’s controlled studies demonstrate that students who participate in the curriculum have:
* higher grade point averages
* increased self-esteem
* decreased psychological distress
* better work habits
* better attendance
Classroom teachers are the primary focus of the EI’s resiliency-enhancement program, via a “train the trainer” model. Experience shows that teachers who develop their own resiliency skills are much better equipped to impart those skills to students. Teachers know their students’ daily concerns well, and are often in the best position to help. And with each new academic year, trained teachers can pass this work on to a new class, multiplying the positive mindset so that it soon becomes part of the school culture.
Teacher training can also be augmented with training for parents, as well as BHI-led programs for students.
In 2014 alone, the program served more than 2,000 teachers, students and counselors. To find out about upcoming programs in your area, or for more information on how to set up a program for your child or school, please click HERE