A Comparative Study on Academic Stress among Adolescent Boys and Girls in Selected Schools of Bardoli, Gujarat

Abstract

Academic stress has become an increasingly prevalent issue among adolescents due to mounting academic expectations and societal pressures. This study aims to compare the levels of academic stress among adolescent boys and girls in selected higher secondary schools of Bardoli, Gujarat. A non-experimental descriptive research design was employed using a convenient sampling technique. A total of 100 science stream students (50 boys and 50 girls) from 12th standard participated in the study. Academic Stress Scale was used to measure stress levels. Results revealed that girls experienced higher academic stress than boys. The independent‘t’ test showed a statistically significant difference in academic stress levels between the two groups (t = 6.68, p < 0.05). Hobbies were the only socio-demographic variable significantly associated with boys’ stress levels. The study concludes that gender plays a role in academic stress, with girls being more affected.