[The links between learning load and well-being of high school seniors].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the links between learning overload and psychoemotional well-being of 12th grade students.


METHODS
In April 2006, an anonymous survey of 184 high school seniors was conducted in six secondary schools and one gymnasium of Kaunas.


RESULTS
The total learning load of students was too high and made up 54.79+/-0.98 hours on average. The learning load of 61.4% of children was too high; girls mentioned this problem two times more often than boys did. Students suffered from psychoemotional problems: about half of them felt stress at school; every fifth fell asleep with difficulties. Students whose total learning load was too high (more than 48 hours per week) felt stress, tiredness, stomach or abdominal, head or back pains, vertigo or weakness significantly more often in comparison with those who had normal learning load.


CONCLUSIONS
The total learning load of the majority of investigated high school seniors was too high. The psychoemotional well-being of 12th graders was unsatisfactory; girls complained about worse well-being than boys more frequently, they used medicine more frequently in comparison to the students whose learning load was normal.
Petrauskiene
Ausra
A
Department of Preventive Medicine, Kaunas University of Medicine, Kaunas, Lithuania. ausrapet@vector.kmu.lt
Matuleviciūte
Deimante
D
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003863:Depression / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006261:Headache / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008097:Lithuania; D008297:Male; D011634:Public Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D012893:Sleep Wake Disorders / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors