How to Help Your Teenager Cope With QCE Exam Stress

Teens and Young PeopleAnxietyParenting
Written By Rachel Williams

Around this time of year, a lot of Brisbane households get a little quieter.   Year 12 students are tucked away in their rooms with highlighters and past papers, while parents hover in the hallway wondering whether to knock.   QCE external assessments begin on Monday 26 October and run until Tuesday 17 November (Queensland Curriculum and Assessment Authority [QCAA], 2026), so for many families the next six weeks can feel like one long held breath.

If you are a parent wondering how much worry is normal and how you can actually help, you are already asking the right question.   Some nerves before exams are expected, and a bit of pressure can even sharpen focus.   The aim is not to remove stress altogether, but to keep it at a level your teenager can manage.

Exam stress is one of the most common worries for young Australians

You are not imagining how big this feels for your teen.   In Mission Australia’s 2025 Youth Survey of more than 17,000 young people aged 14 to 19, school or study problems were the most commonly reported source of stress, mentioned by 58% of respondents (Mission Australia, 2025).   Girls (70%) and gender diverse young people (61%) were more likely to report this than boys (46%).

Stress on its own is not a mental health condition, but it does mean your child is far from alone, and talking about it openly at home is healthy and normal.

Signs your teenager’s stress might be building

Teenagers often show stress sideways, through their body, mood or habits.   A few things worth gently noticing include:

  • Trouble falling asleep, or sleeping much more than usual

  • Headaches, stomach aches or nausea, especially on school mornings

  • Irritability, tears or snapping over small things

  • Avoiding study completely, or studying late into the night without breaks

  • Pulling away from friends, sport or hobbies they usually enjoy

  • Speaking about themselves harshly, such as “I’m going to fail everything”

  • Eating noticeably less or more than usual

When several of these show up together and stick around, it is a good moment to check in a little more closely.

Practical ways parents can help at home

You do not need to remember any of your own Year 12 chemistry to make a real difference.   What helps most is usually steady, low-key support in the background.

Keep the basics in place

Sleep, regular meals and some movement each day tend to do more for exam performance than an extra hour of cramming.   headspace encourages young people to plan their study, look after themselves and stay focused through exam periods (headspace, n.d.).   You can support this by keeping meals at predictable times, suggesting a walk around the block, and gently protecting bedtime as exams get closer.

Listen before you fix

When your teenager says they are stressed, it is tempting to jump straight into solutions.   Try reflecting back what you hear first, with something like “It sounds like this week has been really full on.”   Feeling understood often settles things enough for problem solving to happen later.

Watch the pressure you might add without meaning to

Questions about ATAR targets, or comparisons with siblings and friends, can land heavily even when they come from a loving place.   Let your teenager know that your care for them does not depend on a result.   Hearing that from a parent can take a surprising amount of weight off.

Help with structure, not control

Some teenagers find it hard to break a big revision load into manageable pieces.   Sitting down together to sketch out a simple plan for the week can help, as long as they stay in charge of it.   This can be especially useful for teenagers with ADHD and for autistic teenagers, who may find planning, change and unstructured time more demanding during exam periods.

When stress might be something more

For most students, exam stress eases once the last paper is handed in.   For others, the worry runs deeper or was there well before exams began.   Panic attacks, ongoing low mood, refusing to go to school, or talking about feeling hopeless are all signs that some extra support could help.

At Valentia Health, our psychologists work with teenagers on anxiety, low mood, perfectionism and study stress, using a neurodiverse-informed approach that respects how each young person thinks and learns.   We see families in person at our Taringa clinic, close to Indooroopilly, Toowong and Auchenflower, and by telehealth across Australia.   With a Mental Health Care Plan from your GP, Medicare rebates may be available for sessions.

If your teenager needs to talk to someone right now, Kids Helpline is free, confidential and available 24 hours a day on 1800 55 1800 (Kids Helpline, n.d.).

Looking after yourself as well

Exam season can be stressful for parents too, and teenagers tend to pick up on the mood in the house.   Finding small ways to stay calm yourself is part of helping them through.   It is also completely okay to reach out for some support of your own.

Here when you need us

If you would like to talk about how your teenager is going, or you are wondering whether some support before exams might help, our team would love to hear from you.   You can book online at valentiahealth.com.au or call us on (07) 3544 6748 for a friendly chat about next steps.

References

This post is for general informational purposes and is not a substitute for professional psychological advice.   If you are in crisis, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or call 000.

Rachel Williams
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