What impact can stress have on a student's academic performance?

Stress can significantly affect a student's academic performance in various ways, primarily by increasing anxiety and leading to lower grades. When students experience stress, it can trigger feelings of overwhelm and worry, which may interfere with their ability to concentrate and process information effectively. This heightened state of anxiety often results in decreased motivation, difficulty in retaining information, and challenges in completing assignments or preparing for exams.

Additionally, chronic stress can lead to physical symptoms, such as fatigue and headaches, which further diminish a student's capacity to perform well academically. The combined effects of emotional distress and physical exhaustion can create a cycle where the student feels less capable of succeeding, reinforcing negative thought patterns and potentially leading to even poorer academic outcomes.

In contrast, other options suggest that stress may have no impact or even a positive effect, which contradicts the established understanding of how stress manifests in academic environments.