Psychological Stress Among Students is on the Rise Again

We asked children and adolescents how they perceive their lessons. The results show that several aspects considered hallmarks of good teaching are closely linked to student well-being. The most significant factor is the support students feel they receive from their teachers. The more supportive and appreciative teachers are perceived to be, the more comfortable students feel at school. Boredom and overchallenge also play a role. Both insufficient and excessive demands are associated with lower well-being. This underscores how important an appropriate level of challenge is for positive school experiences. Another key factor for student well-being is the classroom climate.
For teachers, these findings offer encouraging news: supporting learning outcomes and supporting student well-being are not in competition with each other. On the contrary, the core elements of high-quality teaching — known for decades — not only improve learning outcomes but are also positively linked to students’ emotional well-being. Deep features of teaching quality, such as constructive support and appropriate levels of challenge, foster both learning and well-being.
 

Beyond teaching quality, opportunities for participation and co-determination also correlate with student well-being. Students who report having more influence in school and classroom matters show not only higher school-related well-being but also higher overall life satisfaction. Under the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child, schools are obligated to recognize students as experts in their own affairs and to actively involve them so they can help shape lessons and daily school life.
However, our results show that students perceive participation opportunities at school as generally low. The 2025 German School Barometer Teachers likewise indicates that most teachers see students’ opportunities to shape school and instruction as rather limited. From teachers’ perspectives, participation often focuses on setting class rules or formal structures such as councils or committees where student involvement is legally mandated. Still, the majority of teachers believe existing participation opportunities are sufficient. While teachers and students agree that opportunities for co-determination are limited, students wish for significantly more participation — whereas many teachers consider the current level adequate.

This points to another clear call to action: schools must further develop their understanding of themselves as democratic spaces. Children, adolescents, and teachers spend a large part of their lives at school. They should be able to shape this environment — and their interactions within it — together, making it a positive place for everyone. I envision schools where students and teachers feel comfortable and become psychologically strengthened through positive relationships and a healthy school culture. This requires not only high-quality teaching but also a democratic school culture in which participation and co-determination are a natural part of everyday life. The award-winning schools of the German School Award show that this is possible — even without additional resources.