Too Much Homework Could Cause Negative Emotional Impact

High school students who get an average of three hours of homework per night actually
experience more stress, physical health issues and lack of balance in their lives,
according to research out of Stanford University in California.

Homework overload
In an effort to examine the relationship among homework, a student’s well-being and
behavioral engagement, researchers looked at survey data from 4,317 students from 10
high-performing schools – four public and six private – in upper-middle class
neighborhoods. With parent consent, students completed a 40-minute survey during
school. Teens were asked about homework load/usefulness, time for other activities,
stress and more.

Questions included, “In general, how well does your homework prepare you for tests,
papers or projects?” “How often do you worry about school assignments?” and “How
often does schoolwork or studying keep you from having time for your family, friends or
other activities?” Kids were asked to rate them on a five-point scale, from 1 (never) to 5
(always).

“Students who did more hours of homework experienced greater behavioral

engagement in school but also more academic stress, physical health problems and lack
of balance in their lives,” the study notes.

That doesn’t surprise Brooks, who says many students express feeling anxious about the
amount of homework they have, even as early as sixth grade.

“They can’t deal with the homework – they are not used to it,” Brooks says.

Balancing act
Homework is stressful on parents, too, she adds, because they are balancing their
careers and family time – plus, they still have to make dinner, clean the house and more.

So while they may not necessarily have to help their children with their homework, they
do have to stay on top of it – and know how much their child has, when it’s due, etc.

According to the study, it also impacts the quality and quantity of family time. Your child
might be missing Grandpa’s birthday because he’s too busy trying to juggle school with
everything else.

Plus, “These kids are so overscheduled. They are so well-rounded, but they have no free
time,” Brooks says.
Teacher tips
Practice is a key part of learning, so homework isn’t going anywhere. And there are
benefits; they just tend to plateau around the two-hour mark for high schoolers, the
study notes.

Still, Brooks does have some suggestions on making things a bit easier.

“Have a calendar and a schedule and stick to it,” she says, but encourages parents to not
overschedule their children.

Designate a quiet spot for your child to do homework – one that is free of distractions.
Brooks also suggests checking your child’s school’s website or teacher blogs for
upcoming homework and projects.

Finally, if your kid is really struggling with the workload, Brooks says it might be time to
talk to his or her teacher.

“There might be a reason they have so much homework – wasting class time, struggling
with the material – or they may have resources to assist you if your child is truly
struggling.”

This post was originally published in 2014 and is updated regularly.