New NIE study to examine well-being and behaviour of girls in top schools

First study of its kind here will look at cohort known to be at greater risk of stress

- Elisha Tushara

Researchers will be studying how life in top Singapore schools affects the well-being of girls, who have been found to be at greater risk of stress and problematic behaviours.

The study by the National Institute of Education (NIE) aims to recruit 4,200 secondary school students from three girls' schools and one co-ed school in Singapore.

The co-ed school has been included to study a smaller group of boys for comparison, said Dr Jacqueline Lee Tilley, the study's lead investigator.

To be conducted over three years, from 2025 to 2028, the study is the first of its kind in Singapore to look at what affects the behaviour of teenage girls in high-achieving schools.

These are defined by the research team as schools where students consistently perform well in national exams or co-curricular activities.

Dr Tilley declined to reveal the names of the four schools, but The Straits Times understands that one of them is Methodist Girls' School.

Participants will take part in a yearly 45-minute online survey until they graduate or when the study ends in 2028. They may also be invited to join other follow-up studies.

Questions will be centred on four areas—their well-being, academic competence, and perspectives of school and of family life.

Speaking to The Straits Times, Dr Tilley, from NIE's Department of Psychology and Child and Human Development, said this is the first large-scale study that tracks teenage girls here over time.

The study will also involve parents, teachers, school leaders and school counsellors through the use of surveys, interviews and daily diaries.

The aim is to see if there is any difference in perspectives between the adults and the students, said Dr Lee.

INSPIRATION FOR THE STUDY