Has the “Double Reduction” policy relieved stress? A follow-up study on Chinese adolescents

Abstract

Purpose “Double Reduction” Policy requires schools to reduce the burden of excessive homework and off-campus training for Chinese students to reduce their academic stress and promote mental health. We conducted a study in compulsory education students before and after the “Double Reduction” Policy to explore changes in mental health problems and relevant influential factors. Methods A total of 28,398 elementary and junior high school students completed both waves of the survey through electronic questionnaires. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Patient Heath Questionnaire (PHQ-9), and anxiety symptoms were assessed using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale (GDA-7). Demographic information was evaluated at baseline, and “Double Reduction” related factors and negative life events were measured at follow up. Results The overall depression and anxiety levels significantly decreased after the “Double Reduction” Policy. Girls, poor parental marital quality, chronic physical illness, and psychiatric family history were related to increased occurrence of mental health. Sleep duration > 8 h/night, reduced homework, more extracurricular activities more time with parents, and reduced academic stress were protective factors against mental health problems. Conclusions The “Double Reduction” Policy has improved the mental health symptoms of students to a certain extent. Appropriately increasing sleep time, participating in more extracurricular activities and parental involvement, and reducing the burden of homework are effective ways to promote the development of students’ mental health.

Empathy Design Thinking: cultivating creative minds in primary education

“…In particular, the "Double Reduction" policy, by reducing the pressures of too much homework and additional tutoring, opens up new possibilities for students to engage in creative activities centered around EDT (Xue and Li, 2023;. Although these reforms pose certain challenges, such as the disruption of established tutoring practices and the diverse approaches adopted by parents to adapt to these changes (Wang et al, 2022;Qian et al, 2023;Teng et al, 2024), they fundamentally affirm a dedication to cultivating an educational environment that prioritizes creativity and innovation. This paradigmatic shift not only harmonizes with but also actively promotes the incorporation of EDT principles, signaling a transformative era for primary education in China.…”

Educational Disparity in China: An Analysis and Comparison of Education Policies in a Global Context

“…The policy was first introduced in the late 1990s and has since been a major priority for the Chinese government. This policy aims to "reduce the burden of excessive homework and offcampus training for Chinese students to reduce their academic stress and promote mental health [12]." From the perspective of addressing disparity, the Double Reduction policy reduces the gap between rural and urban areas.…”

“…From the perspective of addressing disparity, the Double Reduction policy reduces the gap between rural and urban areas. The policy has led to a significant increase in income and improved living standards for rural residents, particularly those living in poverty because families cut the spending on sending their children to after-class tutoring agencies [12]. Studies also show a significant release of stress from parents and students and relieving adolescents' mental health after the implementation of the Double Reduction policy.…”

Exploring teacher wellbeing in educational reforms: a Chinese perspective

“…Numerous studies have explored the theoretical and practical logic of the policy itself or the changes and influences in the perspective of pupils under the policy, including their learning, psychological views ( Zhang et al, 2022 ), and mental health problems ( Wang et al, 2022 ). However, studies on teachers are lagging far behind other works carried out under the policy.…”