Stress is a natural response to external challenges and your body will react in different ways. That includes an increase in heart rate, faster breathing, etc. And everyone, including teenagers can go through high stress levels.

But, perhaps, there’s a way to reduce stress in adolescents. 

A new study published in Nature from the University of Texas involving 4000 young participants shows that changing adolescent mindsets about their stressful experiences can prove to be immensely beneficial. 

“We’re trying to get teenagers to realize that when you’re doing something hard and your body starts to feel stressed, that could be a good thing.” said David Yeager, a psychologist at the University of Texas at Austin and first author of the study to The Guardian

In the study comprising 6 controlled trials, researchers conducted a 30-minute class that helped participants reframe their thoughts about stress. The method combines a ‘growth mindset’ which affirms that challenges help us grow with a ‘stress is good mindset’ which believes that stress responses is the body’s way of preparing us for better performance.

Results showed that participants had lower anxiety levels in the months that followed and some had lower physiological stress markers like a racing heart rate. One of the studies even resulted in participants displaying an improvement in academics months later. 

Researchers think the synergistics mindsets intervention is highly effective as it goes against the stereotypical advice like “go for a walk” or “have some tea” given as a response to stress. “The synergistic mindsets intervention, by contrast, helps young people to thrive rather than becoming overwhelmed by intense education-related stress,” said Christopher Bryan, assistant professor of business, government and society at UT Austin’s McCombs School of Business.