MATRIC RESULTS: HOW TEENS CAN COPE WITH PRESSURE AND EMOTIONAL STRESS

MORE than 900 000 Grade 12s were anxiously waiting for their National Senior Certificate (NSC) results, which were released yesterday.

- VUYILE MADWANTSI

FOR many teens, matric results carry an emotional weight far beyond their academic significance.

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For many, this is a milestone worthy of celebration, a culmination of years of hard work, late nights and perseverance. But for others, this week looms as a daunting reminder of pressure, expectations and fear of failure.

Matric results week is more than just about grades, it's a key moment that can shape identity, self-worth and mental health.

Independent Media Lifestyle spoke to Roshni Parbhoo-Seetha, the projects manager for Schools Programmes at the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG), who works closely with learners, parents and teachers around suicide prevention and emotional well-being.

For many teens, matric results carry an emotional weight far beyond their academic significance.

These results often feel like a verdict on intelligence, future and self-worth, even though that's not true. Fear of letting others down and overwhelming uncertainty make this period especially tough emotionally.

For teens, whose emotional and neurological development is still ongoing, the stakes can feel unbearably high. Their thinking is often blackand-white. So a disappointing mark can feel permanent and unbearable, explained Parbhoo-Seetha.

She continues, "Add social pressure, family expectations and a fear of the future and the distress can become overwhelming, even in teens who appear 'fine' on the outside."