Supporting Teens Through Exam Anxiety

Exam season can put an extra strain on young ones and their families.When teenagers are revising constantly or barely doing any work at all, parents are often left second-guessing themselves wondering whether to nag, step in, step back, push harder, threaten or say nothing at all. Add in a few disrupted sleep patterns, mood changes, hormones, irritability, or withdrawal into the mix, and it can quickly feel overwhelming, with many parents worrying they’re the only ones with this challenge.

In this session, we’ll talk about exam stress and how it might be under the covers. We'll talk about behaviours such as over-working, procrastination, disengagement, or emotional flatness could be linked to overwhelm rather than lack of care. With insight from Dr Maryhan, we’ll look at how perfectionism, avoidance, burnout, and lack of confidence can shape how teens approach revision, and how parents can respond in ways that genuinely help rather than piling on pressure. The session will also explore how exam pressure can affect sleep, mood, and physical health, and how parents can recognise when stress is tipping into something more concerning. Throughout, we’ll consider how parents’ own school experiences can quietly influence their responses and how to support teens in a way that’s balanced, realistic, and attuned to the individual child.

Discussion Points

• Why some teens revise excessively while others avoid revision altogether
• Understanding perfectionism, procrastination, overwhelm, and low confidence during exam periods
• When emotional flatness, irritability, or disengagement may signal burnout rather than “giving up”
• How exam pressure can affect sleep, mood, appetite, and physical wellbeing
• Recognising when exam stress is becoming more than a normal response
• Why exams feel especially intense and how pressure can fluctuate between pushes and pauses
• Finding the right level of pressure for your own teen to help them perform at their best
• How parents’ own experiences of exams and school can shape expectations and responses

Takeaways for Parents and Educators

• Greater clarity on what exam-related behaviours may really be communicating
• Confidence in responding to both over-working and avoidance with appropriate support
• Insight into how burnout and overwhelm can show up emotionally and behaviourally
• Practical guidance on balancing pressure and reassurance during high-stakes exams
• Increased awareness of when stress may require extra support
• Reassurance that uncertainty during exam season is common — and that thoughtful, responsive support can make a meaningful difference