Wirsch 1

Anna Wirsch

Professor Cassel

English 1201.B51

18 July 2020

What is the Correlation Between a Student’s Overall Well-being and Academic Success, and

How Does One Resolve Such an Issue?

Nowadays, mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression, nervousness, and stress-related

disorders are quite common in students. In fact, according to the National Institute of Mental

Health, the world’s largest scientific organization that dedicates itself to investigating a multitude

of mental illnesses, in 2017, nearly 2.3 million children (ages 12 to 17) experienced
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The image shows the importance of addressing anxiety and

stress-related disorders.

at least one depressive episode with severe impairment (“Major Depression”). A common factor

in this age range is education or school. Since birth, children are now persuaded to earn straight

A’s, be in the highest level of class, and receive numerous academic awards. While all of this is

great, parents, teachers, and administrators fail to see the toll it is taking on their children. Are

all the medals worth the hassle if a child is under extreme academic duress? No, it simply is not.

The goal of most adults is to encourage livelihood in their children. So why do they encourage

them to sacrifice their livelihood for academics time and time again? By the utilization of social-

emotional tactics, the mental health of students may be better considered in an academic setting.

In order to implement social-emotional learning tactics, one must recognize how the

mental health of students has deteriorated due to academics. What some adults fail to recognize

is that academic success (the accomplishment of courses with a high mark, of high level, or the

receiving of an academic award) formulates from the incorporation of social, emotional, and

academic skills (“Caring relationships and student…”). This is regarded in City Year’s article

considering the real key to academic success. City Year, founded in 1988, is a nonprofit

organization dedicated to helping students succeed. It is stated through “Advances in brain and

learning science have shown that children are better able to thrive in school when they feel

secure and supported. These breakthroughs have also demonstrated that learning happens

through relationships” (“Caring relationships and student…”). Because parents have begun to

value high marks over their children’s relationships, children are not allowed the proper amount

of social and emotional skills to truly have well-rounded academic success. Yet, it is not just

parents that have started valuing academic success over relationships, it is administrators as well.
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According to the editor Darity, a professor in African American studies, economics, and public

policy at the Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy, the schooling evolution is

discussed. The Duke University Sanford School of Public Policy was founded in 1972 and is

known as a top-10 school at Duke University. Throughout the document, it is initially stated that

the purpose of schooling was to produce knowledge within educators, who would then produce

knowledge in others. Now, teachers are given strict rubrics that they must adhere to or they face

penalizations such as being fired (“Schooling”). Therefore, teachers cannot aid to the individual

needs of their students. This is not just for the academic needs of students, but it is also for the

emotional and social needs of a student as well. This then leaves an inconsistency of academics

and the mental stability of all students in all age groups. Ultimately, a student is left with a

corrupt support system when it comes to the stress of their academics.

Parents, teachers, and administrators may push on the importance of academic

achievement, but philosophers say otherwise. John Stuart Mill, one of the most impactful

thinkers in classical liberalism states, “that happiness is desirable, and the only thing desirable, as

an end” (Mill). Most students can attest to the fact that they do not desire to be sitting at home

doing homework all night. Children crave relationships and daring activities, whereas parents

crave success. Success is considered momentary attainment of either a profit or an

acknowledgment. In the novel The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing World,

written by Bstan-’dzin-rgya-mtsho and Desmond Tutu, who have both earned multiple Nobel

Peace Prizes, the general idea of happiness is considered. They claim that “while temporary

enjoyment can come through our senses, it is inevitably fleeting and not the source of enduring

satisfaction” (Bstan-'dzin-rgya-mtsho, and Desmond Tutu). Indicating that initially, when one
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receives overwhelming success, one will experience temporary happiness. So if students spend

countless hours studying for a single A, they will not experience lasting happiness. With the

influence of social-emotional tactics, students will not seek lasting happiness in academics.

Instead, students may seek lasting happiness in pursuing hobbies or making memories with

friends. Therefore, philosophers claim that momentary feeling of success will not lead to an

overall content life.

One of the many reasons administrators, parents, and teachers push for good grades and

higher-level classes are because they believe by their children doing so, they will be prepped for

their future career or will be a more impressive candidate when applying for a job. According to

Adam Grant, a professor in organizational psychology at the Wharton School of the University

of Pennsylvania, believes that despite what most individuals believe, academic achievement fails

to set one up to be successful in his or her career. The Wharton School of the University of

Pennsylvania was established in 1881 and is the world’s oldest college of business. With this,

Grant claims that college students that are invested in their achievement academically “have

joined the cult of perfectionism out of a conviction that top marks are a ticket to elite graduate

schools and lucrative job offers” (Grant). Such students have learned to comprehend information

only to regurgitate it on to a sheet of paper. This is not how it works in the workforce. Being

successful in ones' career is about utilizing his or her creativity, leadership skills, teamwork

skills, social intelligence, and academic knowledge to find a conclusive answer to a given

problem (Grant). Additionally, when an individual is consumed with school work, he or she

misses out on crucial social experiences that they may harness in a future career. Kevin Click,

who has a B.S. degree from Kent State University, discusses how students must harness their
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inner strengths to perform well in the workforce. Kent State University is a public research

university that is famous for its psychology, nursing, and business programs. In the study, Click

states that several studies have shown the tie of a given academic environment with a

professional setting (Click et al.). This encourages him to develop a study considering the

college success scale. It is found that when employers examine transcripts, students with more

well-rounded well-being and attainment are more likely to have career success (Click et al.).

Ultimately, employers dedicate their hirings to be students with a well-rounded social life and

academic life rather than students who have only a positive academic life.

Students in Japan are known for having superior cognitive abilities from a young age and

working countless hours for their grades, but what is not known is how much their mental health

suffers. According to Akiko Watabe, a researcher with the University of Tennessee, and David

R. Hibbard, a researcher with California State University, they analyze the way in which

Japanese students and American students are parented. The University of Tennessee and

California State University are both extravagant public research colleges. With this, Watabe and

Hibbard claim that American parents tend to parent their children in an authoritative way. A

method in which parents encourage independence in their children yet still have limits on their

children’s actions (Hibbard and Watabe). Conversely, Japanese parents utilize an authoritarian

method of parenting where parents are strict, harsh, and encourage their children to follow

directions in a respective manner (Hibbard and Watabe). Meaning that Japanese parents do not

regard the mental health of their children as well as American parents. In a study conducted by

Ken Kurokawa, a researcher at the University of Tokushima Graduate School, the effects of

chronic academic success are analyzed. The University of Tokushima Graduate School is a
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national university with one of its graduates earning a Nobel Peace Prize. Kurokawa determines

the effects of academic achievement “by measuring mental state, salivary cortisol levels, and the

glucocorticoid receptor (GR) gene expression in healthy Japanese medical students challenging

the national medical license examination” (Kurokawa et al.). The results indicate that there is a

significant impact of stressors due to academics that lead to a strain on the mental health of

students (Kurokawa et al.). With that being said, Japanese students have developed severe

mental angst and stress due to the environment, which focuses on strict academic discipline. In

fact, referring back to the previous study conducted by Watabe and Hibbard, Japanese students

who experience an authoritative method of parenting promote a superior academic performance

in comparison to their original authoritarian method of parenting (Hibbard and Watabe). The

authoritative method of parenting allows for more social-emotional tactics. So while it is

believed that the emotional needs of students do not need to be considered, Japan leads an

example that a looser parental grip allows for more student success and overall well-being.

Some believe that the specific relationship between academic achievement and mental

health is not properly digested. In a study conducted by F. Rüppel, who works alongside the

AQUA-Institute for Applied Quality Improvement and Research in Healthcare, he considers the

relationship between academic success and psychological well-being through a study of 508

students in the sixth grade. Rüppel states:

According to the results of the present study, general psychological well-being does not
have an independent effect on school grades because it is dependent on the school-related
well-being of children and their subjective assessment of their own performance, which
act as mediator variables. (Rüppel)
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What Rüppel claims may be true, but because he only analyzed sixth graders, the same results

cannot be applied to high school and college students. High schoolers and college students have

a significantly heavier workload than sixth graders. Therefore, it is understandable academic

success and psychological well-being do not have a direct relationship with one another when

discussing sixth graders. If social-emotional learning tactics were implemented, students would

be able to utilize the relationship between academics and their well-being to harness a more

positive attitude in their schoolwork. While some individuals claim that well-being and

academic success do not share a significant relationship, it can be concluded that the given study

does not include various other grade levels to make this theory plausible.

Through immense amounts of studies, Social-Emotional Learning (or SEL) can be

deemed the most effective way to properly recognize the mental health of students.

Communication amongst peers is a necessity when it comes to the well-being of a child. Daniel

Pampuch regards this relationship in a TedTalk presented in Queensland, Australia. Pampuch is

the chief executive officer of Christian schools in Australia. Throughout his speech, he not only

acknowledges the importance of the mental health of students but he recognizes the significance

of communication amongst students. Pampuch discusses a study done between a series of

schools in Australia where students are asked to evaluate their peers. They are asked questions

like, what is so and so’s aspiration in life? And what does he or she hope to achieve? It is

determined that female to female relationships have deeper connections in comparison with male

to male connections. Where women have a 75% connection rate, men have a 63% connection

rate. But the worst connection of all is the male to female connection rate with a 32%

connection rate (Pampuch), Children are not sent to single-gender schools in hopes
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The following chart establishes the relationship between a variety of connections:

of a deeper understanding of the other gender. In one school discussed in the study, their

connection rates are through the roof for the female to female, male to male, and female to the

other gender. In one school discussed in the study, their connection rates were through the roof

for the female to female,

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The image allows for the understanding of the beneficial effects of Social-Emotional
Learning.

male to male, and female to male relationships. This is due to the fact that the school itself

ensures that students have the ability to freely communicate with their peers. This creates a

sense of belonging within the students, which ultimately influences higher academics within the

district (Pampuch). Examples like free communication with peers are apart of the Social-

Emotional Learning program. SEL is introduced by Elaine and Henry Brzycki. Henry Brzycki

has over 30 years of experience in leading new methods of teaching, and Elaine Brzycki earned

her Ed.M. at Harvard Graduate School of Education. The Harvard Graduate School of

Education was founded in 1920 and is one of the top education colleges in America. Therefore,

by integrating SEL, one may comprehend:

Research demonstrates that people’s success comes only partially from the intellect, and
it is more important to develop optimism levels, social supports, and the ability to see
stress as a challenge instead of a threat. The lens through which we see the world creates
our realities—from the inside out—and the K-16 educational system has the ability, and
responsibility, to help students develop their own unique lens. (Brzycki and Brzycki)

SEL allows for a different approach towards academic success that will alter the way

adolescence view the pressure of schoolwork. Additionally, SEL insists on allowing students

their personal time for communication. Through such an implementation, one may find the

mental health of students to be completely transformed.

With all that being said, some of the major mental illnesses in adolescence include

depression, anxiety, and other stress-related illnesses. Most of these mental illnesses can be due

to the push to achieve high marks and/or be apart of Honors and Advanced Placement classes.
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While attaining good grades is beneficial, the mental toll taken on students in order to achieve

this is not worth it. The goal of most parents and administrators is to maintain happiness in their

children’s lives, so why strip children of their livelihood for academics. Additionally,

maintaining extremely high marks will not prepare students for the real world, and employers do

not depend on such quality. Employers seek well-rounded, social, and creative individuals to

maintain their business. Moreover, the success parents and administrators desire comes in the

form of a blended academic and social life. All in all, with the implementation of social-

emotional tactics, the mental health of students may be better considered.

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Works Cited

“Anxiety disorders involve more than temporary worry or fear.” National Institute of Mental

Health, https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/education-awareness/shareable-resources-on-

anxiety-disorders.shtml. Accessed 18 July 2020.

Brzycki, Elaine J., and Henry G. Brzycki. "Student wellbeing is more important than you think."

eCampus News, 14 Jan. 2019, www.ecampusnews.com/2019/01/14/student-wellbeing-

is-more-important-than-you-think/. Accessed 6 July 2020.

Bstan-'dzin-rgya-mtsho, and Desmond Tutu. The Book of Joy: Lasting Happiness in a Changing

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student-well-being-are-key-to-academic-success/. Accessed 6 July 2020.

Click, Kevin A., et al. "Harnessing Inner Strengths of At-Risk University Students: Relationships

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parenting on children's academic achievement motivation: A comparison between the

United States and Japan." Research Gate, June 2014,

www.researchgate.net/publication/286794109_The_influence_of_authoritarian_and_auth
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oritative_parenting_on_children's_academic_achievement_motivation_A_comparison_be

tween_the_United_States_and_Japan. Accessed 11 July 2020.

Kurokawa, Ken, and et al. (2011) Effects of chronic academic stress on mental state and

expression of glucocorticoid receptor α and β isoforms in healthy Japanese medical

students, Stress, 14:4, 431-438, DOI: 10.3109/10253890.2011.555930

"Major Depression." National Institute of Mental Health, www.nimh.nih.gov/health/

statistics/major-depression.shtml. Accessed 8 July 2020.

Mill, John Staurt. Utilitarianism. London, Parker, son, and Bourn, 1863. Retrieved from the

Library of Congress, <lccn.loc.gov/11015966>.

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https://www.manchestertwp.org/news/posts/~board/district-

news/post/manchester-schools-implement-social-emotional-learning-programs. Accessed

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July 2020.

Pampuch, Daniel. "How Relationships Affect Student Wellbeing and Achievement." Glasshouse

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