Most young people in the UK experience a sharp decline in their wellbeing during the first years at secondary school, according to new research.
Academics from the Universities of Manchester and Cambridge analysed the wellbeing and self-esteem of more than 11,000 young people across the country.
While most adolescents were satisfied with life at the age of 11, the majority were extremely dissatisfied at age 14 and the ‘subjective well being’ scores of 79% of participants fell below the average score.
The fall was regardless of their circumstances or background.
Dr Jose Marquez, from The University of Manchester, said: “Until now, we haven’t fully understood how universally poor wellbeing is experienced.
“The relationship between wellbeing and self-esteem has also been unclear.”
The study, published in the British Journal of Developmental Psychology, asked adolescents about their satisfaction with specific aspects of life.
The results from this suggested the most dramatic downturns of wellbeing between 11 and 14 were likely related to school and relationships with peers.
Additionally, students with higher self-esteem at age 11 experienced a less significant drop in wellbeing at age 14.
Researchers said this indicated that structured efforts to strengthen adolescents’ self-esteem — particularly during the first years of secondary school — could reduce the downturn in wellbeing.
The study also highlighted various ways in which schools could support this including celebrating students’ achievements and avoiding negative comparisons with other students.
Ioannis Katsantonis from the University of Cambridge said: “Even though this was a large, diverse group of adolescents, we saw a consistent fall in wellbeing.
“One of the most striking aspects was the clear association with changes at school.
“It suggests we urgently need to do more to support students’ wellbeing at secondary schools across the UK.”
Main image: Weisanjiang/Pixabay
