Author Identifier
Michaela Hammersley-Ellis: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0266-2756
Date of Award
2025
Document Type
Thesis
Publisher
Edith Cowan University
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (Integrated)
School
School of Education
First Supervisor
Maggie Mcalinden
Second Supervisor
Eibhlish O'Hara
Third Supervisor
Mandie Shean
Abstract
Traditionally, stress, anxiety, and mental health disorders have been associated with late adolescence and adulthood (Carlisle et al., 2018; Harvard Health, 2018; Mander & Lester, 2019; Mental Health Foundation, 2020; Stoppler, 2018). However, there is growing recognition that mental health concerns, including stress, are increasingly prevalent among younger children (AIHW, 2019; ARACY, 2018; CCYP, 2021; Hayden, 2017; Redmond et al., 2016). Elevated stress levels in childhood can negatively impact academic performance, social relationships, and overall well-being, yet few studies have captured these experiences from children’s perspectives.
This descriptive phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of stress among 23 students (aged 9–13) across two independent schools in metropolitan Perth, Australia. Data collected included online surveys, scrapbooks, card-sorting activities, and semi-structured interviews. Findings revealed that participants encountered a range of external pressures, including academic workload, peer dynamics, school transitions, and parental expectations, which they internalised, creating heightened self-imposed demands and academic self-doubt. These pressures interacted cumulatively, shaping participants’ daily experiences of emotional and cognitive strain.
Despite regularly and deliberately using emotion-focussed strategies (e.g., seeking trusted support, engaging in calming activities) and intentional regulation techniques (e.g., physical exercise, mindfulness), participants described only temporary relief. This study introduced the concept of coping strain to explain the recurring psychological state in which students, while maintaining outward functionality, continued to experience sustained internal tension without progressing to clinical distress.
The findings reinforce the need for student-informed interventions that acknowledge both visible signs of stress and the quieter, persistent emotional efforts made by young people. By centring students’ voices, this study offers new conceptual insights and practical implications for developing more developmentally responsive, emotionally attuned well-being supports in school settings.
Access Note
Access to this thesis is embargoed until 4th May 2027
Some images are not available in this version of the thesis due to copyright considerations
DOI
10.25958/n61z-5s25
Recommended Citation
Hammersley-Ellis, M. (2025). Exploring school stress: A descriptive phenomenological study of primary and middle school students' experiences. Edith Cowan University. https://doi.org/10.25958/n61z-5s25