Vol. 8, Issue 1, Part A (2026)

The arrival of 21st century has reshaped the landscape for younger generations, bringing both unprecedented opportunities and daunting challenges. Constant connectivity has blurred boundaries between personal and public life. Social media fosters comparison, cyberbullying, and body image issues, contributing to anxiety and depression. Global competition and rising expectations have intensified academic stress. Standardised testing, entrance exams, and uncertain job markets create chronic anxiety. The push for excellence often leads to burnout at an early age. Against this backdrop, the present study is undertaken on a randomly selected sample of 400 students from different higher secondary schools in the Siwan district to assess the level of stress, anxiety, and depression. The Lovibond & Lovibond (1995) scale was administered to assess the level of stress, anxiety, and depression. Statistical analyses confirmed that all hypotheses formulated to address the study’s objectives. A significant difference is found in the level of stress, anxiety, and depression among male and female students of government and non-government higher secondary schools located in urban and rural areas of Siwan district of Bihar.