Girls experience ‘exam stress’ more than boys: Survey

Melike Çalkap - ISTANBUL

Girls are more likely to experience exam stress and pressure at school since they perceive education as an “escape route,” the Turkish Statistical Institute’s (TÜİK) Survey on Children for 2022 revealed.

Within the scope of the research, TUİK compiled data on 14,705 children in the 0-17 age group.

According to the data, the rate of boys in the 6-17 age group who felt under pressure at school was 12.7 percent, while the rate of girls in the same age group was 14.1 percent.

The average rate of children in the 13-17 age group who stated that they felt very anxious even if they were well prepared for the exam was 50.5 percent. This rate was 43.9 percent for boys and 57.6 percent for girls in the same age group.

Experts explained that several factors contribute to the higher number of girls who feel the pressure of school and feel anxious about exams.

Dr. Nurten Sargın, a professor at Necmettin Erbakan University’s Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling, stated that girls are more restricted and hindered by their families, and therefore, they see education as a way out of their oppressive household.

According to Sargın, when girls are the eldest siblings in the household, they might also feel like they have a mission to be the perfect role model for their younger siblings.

Sargın pointed out that mothers may also impose a responsibility on their daughters by conditioning them to focus on their education and career rather than relationships.

Drawing attention to the intense community pressure in a male-dominated society, Dr. Seher Balcı Çelik, a professor at Ondokuz Mayıs University’s Department of Guidance and Psychological Counseling, said that while boys are allowed to do everything they want, girls do not get that chance.

In fact, Çelik said, there is a discourse widely used in Turkish society for girls, which imposes fear on them: “If you don’t study, we will marry you off.” She added that such kind of discourse causes girls’ anxiety at school to increase.