"Girls tend to succeed but become exhausted," says the director of the study, Jyväskylä University professor Katariina Salmela-Aro. "In high school they feel increasingly inadequate."
The study, which was conducted by the Academy of Finland, followed the development of 1,800 youth and charted their wellbeing at different stages of their education. In addition, the Academy had access to university and college medical data on 5,200 students.
The figures improve after high-school, where only one in ten students suffers from exhaustion - though a third falls into a high-risk category.
Enthusiasm More Common Than Exhaustion
On the bright side, more students are enthusiastic than exhausted about their studies. Researchers found that a fourth of all students are excited and inspired by what they are studying. Medical students reported the least exhaustion and the most enthusiasm.