According to research from Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University, teens with parents who value academic achievement over kindness to others have higher stress levels, and did not receive better grades than those whose parents value kindness to others as much or more than academic achievement. 

While teens whose parents emphasized kindness just as much, or even more than academic achievement, had lower levels of anxiety, depression, teacher-reported behavior problems, higher GPAs, and higher self-esteem.  This research suggests that parents can support their children’s well-being by valuing kindness in addition to academic success, and focus on being supportive when a child is struggling academically.