Understanding Academic Pressure in Primary School: Associations with Mental Health and Social Connectedness

Academic pressure is increasingly recognized as a factor in declining adolescent mental health, yet this phenomenon remains underexplored among early adolescents in primary education. This study investigates sources of academic pressure among 585 Dutch students (286 boys, 294 girls; aged 11-12) in their final year of primary school, and examines its associations with sex, social connectedness, and mental health. One in six students reported experiencing academic pressure, primarily due to homework or school demands. Academic pressure was already linked to mental health concerns at this age, with no sex differences observed. Higher levels of school belonging and family support were associated with lower academic pressure. However, the hypothesized moderating role of social connectedness was not confirmed: students under high pressure reported more psychosomatic complaints regardless of support levels. These findings underscore the need to monitor academic pressure and its mental health correlates in primary school.