title: Into the pressure cooker: Student stress in college preparatory high schools.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The goals of this study were to (1) measure psychological, physiological, and behavioral indicators of stress, (2) assess the relationship between stress and student attitudes, and (3) explore coping behaviors in response to stress, among a sample of students in two academically high-achieving environments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred thirty-three students in grades 9 through 12 from two college-preparatory high schools completed a cross-sectional online survey that included the Students' Life Satisfaction Scale, School Attitude Assessment Questionnaire-Revised, and assessments for stress-related indicators, including eating, sleeping and exercise, and strategies they utilized for coping with stress.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students reported a high prevalence of physical and psychological correlates of stress, and related unhealthy behaviors such as widespread and chronic sleep deprivation and rushed meals.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results suggest areas to focus attention for identifying and addressing maladaptive responses to stress among high-achieving student populations.
authors.affiliation: Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, One Gustave L. Levy Place, New York, NY 10029, USA. Electronic address: Lauren.Feld@mssm.edu.
authors.forename: Lauren D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Feld
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Wesleyan University, 207 High Street, Middletown, CT 06459, USA. Electronic address: AShusterman@wesleyan.edu.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shusterman
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior / Q000523:psychology*; D001290:Attitude; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005247:Feeding Behavior / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010549:Personal Satisfaction; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012307:Risk Factors; D012574:Schools; D012892:Sleep Deprivation / Q000150:complications; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Academic stress; Adolescence; High school; High-achieving; Stress