Anxiety, low mood, and anger are the most frequently reported emotional challenges by students on a real-time wellbeing and pupil voice platform. Lumii.me’s Wellbeing & Safeguarding Trends Report for Term 3 indicates these issues are often associated with school-related stress and friendship dynamics. Sadness and low self-esteem complete the top five concerns.
“These challenges represent the emotional reality for many students, ranging from daily stress to more severe issues,” stated Laura Tristram, co-founder and wellbeing manager at Lumii.me, during an interview with Khaleej Times.
She noted that these issues typically stem from pressures surrounding exams, friendships, and feeling misunderstood by adults. Students reported anxiety impacting sleep and academic performance, low mood as withdrawal and avoidance of activities, and anger often due to frustration, feeling unheard, or conflicts at home or school.
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Understanding Students’ Emotions
Laura detailed the common patterns behind each emotional challenge:
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Anxiety: Persistent worries disturb sleep, academics, and relationships. Students often feel misunderstood by adults, frequently seeking help and reassurance.
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Low Mood: Typically involves loneliness, withdrawal, or activity avoidance, especially when lacking someone to confide in.
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Anger: Manifests as withdrawal or outbursts, usually linked to frustration, feeling unheard, or home/school conflicts.
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Sadness: Often related to friendship issues, feeling excluded, or changes at home. Children seek advice, reassurance, or someone to listen.
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Low Self-Esteem: Many students feel inadequate compared to peers, highlighting the need for encouragement and support.
“I believe many children and young people are taught to suppress negative feelings publicly. However, we know that this doesn’t make them disappear. Emotions must be processed and managed, which is where Lumii helps, providing a safe space to vent and process emotions,” Laura explained.
Digital Wellbeing Support
Engaging with 10 UAE schools, the platform logged 67,484 conversations in Term 3, a 16% increase from Term 2, reflecting the rising adoption of digital wellbeing support in schools. Most conversations, approximately 87%, were coded green, indicating no immediate concern.
Around 13% were flagged as moderate or high safeguarding concerns (Amber, Red, or Purple). Severe (Red) cases increased by 25% compared to the previous term, partly due to higher user numbers and the summer exam period.
Despite these concerns, the report also highlights positive signs. Emotions like happiness, joy, and resilience grew throughout Term 3.
Key Takeaways
The report offers clear guidance for supporting student wellbeing:
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Anxiety affects sleep, learning, and social life. Students need to feel heard and be given clear coping strategies.
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Low mood and isolation underscore the importance of supportive relationships and a sense of classroom belonging.
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Anger requires safe channels and positive ways to manage strong emotions.
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Sadness, often from friendship issues or exclusion, highlights the importance of regular check-ins.
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Low self-esteem can hinder learning and participation, making praise, celebrating effort, and resilience role-modelling crucial.
Schools receive weekly wellbeing reports and termly summaries, along with recommendations on staff training, peer support, wellbeing checks, and celebrating achievements. Laura stated that Lumii is collaborating with partner schools to integrate these recommendations into the school culture and involve parents in a comprehensive wellbeing support system.
