Teen Stress in UAE and India: A Simple Comparison of Stress and Coping

A survey-based comparative study on adolescent stress and coping strategies

Stress is something almost every teenager goes through, especially in school. Even though many students feel stressed, the way they experience it and deal with it can be a bit different depending on where they live and their environment. This small research project compares 26 students from the UAE and 26 students from India to understand how teen stress looks in both places.

This project was collected by Zahra Fathima, a Grade 10 IB MYP 5 student based in Dubai, who is also the Deputy of Student Life and Well-being, Co-host of Teen Talk, and the Founder of Teen Minds Uncovered. The Indian responses were collected with help from Sakshi Thakkar, Founder of Sukoon Mindspace. She works on building psychologically safe workplaces and institutes in Mumbai, and also works across India, the US, and Singapore. She is also a member of the Indo-Japanese Association. All responses were collected anonymously, and everyone gave consent before answering the survey. They were told what the study was for and how the data would be used. All data is fully confidential and only used for educational research.

From the results, most students in both countries said they feel moderate to high stress during school weeks. The most common stress ratings were around 3 to 4 out of 5, which shows that stress is a normal part of student life today.

One clear difference is how often stress happens. Students based in the UAE often described stress as something they feel regularly or even daily, while students based in India more often said they feel stress in specific situations like exams, deadlines or important assessments. This shows that stress is not only about how strong it is, but also about how often it appears in daily life. Daily stress can slowly build up over time while exam based stress can feel intense but shorter when you look at it from a bigger perspective.

In both groups, the main causes of stress were very similar. The biggest factor was clearly academic pressure, followed by future and career aspirations, family expectations, and time management. This shows that school and performance play a very big role in teen stress across both countries.

Many students also mentioned that their stress is not only about schoolwork itself, but also about what their results mean for their future. This makes stress feel more serious because it is connected to identity, goals, and long-term success. In some cases, students feel like their entire future depends on their academic performance, which increases pressure even more.

When it comes to coping, most students use simple and personal methods rather than structured techniques. The most common coping methods were:

• Listening to music
• Using phones or social media
• Talking to friends or family
• Taking breaks or resting
• Exercise or walking

Music was the most common coping method in both groups. Many students said it helps them relax, distract their thoughts, or feel calmer.

However, social media showed mixed results. Some students said it helps them forget stress for a short time, but others said it can sometimes make them feel worse afterwards, especially if they spend too much time on it. This can be linked to the “pleasure–guilt cycle”, where an activity gives short-term relief or pleasure, but is followed by feelings of guilt or regret afterwards which can increase stress instead of reducing it. This pattern is often seen in behaviours that act as distractions rather than real coping strategies. Talking to friends and family was one of the most consistently helpful coping methods. This shows that social support plays a very important role in helping teenagers deal with stress.

From my point of view, this shows that most teenagers do not use formal stress-management techniques. Instead, they use what feels easy and natural in the moment for them. These methods help in the short term, but they may not always solve the root cause of stress.

Most students said they understand what causes their stress, which is a positive finding. Many were able to clearly connect their stress to school, deadlines, or family pressure. However, the level of detail in responses varied. Some answers were very clear, while others were more emotional or unsure.

In the Indian responses especially, a few students gave more reflective answers that included overthinking, self-pressure, and emotional experiences. This shows that while awareness is high, the way stress is understood and expressed can be different for each person.

A mixed pattern was seen when students were asked about how effective their coping methods are. Some said their strategies work well, but many also said they only help a little or only for a short time. This is important because it shows that even though students are trying to manage stress, many coping methods do not fully remove the pressure.

In many cases, coping helps students feel better temporarily, but the stress returns later. This suggests that most coping strategies used are emotional or distraction-based, rather than long-term solutions that address the root cause.

In summary, this study shows that teenage stress is very common in both the UAE and India. The biggest cause is clearly academic pressure, followed by future worries and family expectations. Even though both groups face similar stress factors, the way they experience stress is slightly different. UAE students tend to feel more constant pressure, while Indian students often experience stress in stronger but shorter moments.

Another important finding is that most students rely on simple coping methods like music, phones, or talking to others. These methods help, but they are usually short-term solutions.

From my perspective, this shows that teenagers are aware of their stress, but they may not always have strong or long-term tools to manage it. It also highlights how important support systems like friends, family, and schools are in helping students deal with pressure in healthier ways.

This study followed ethical guidelines throughout. All participants gave consent before taking part and were told what the data would be used for. All responses were collected anonymously and kept completely confidential. The data has only been used for educational and research purposes.

Special credit goes to Sakshi Thakkar, Founder of Sukoon Mindspace, for supporting the collection of Indian data and contributing to this research. Appreciation is also given to all students who shared their honest experiences!